Long Island Rail Road Sets New Post-Pandemic Ridership Record

Long Island Rail Road achieved a historic milestone this week, carrying nearly 300,000 riders in a single day and marking its busiest seven-day stretch since the pandemic began. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

On July 22, the railroad served 295,419 passengers, and on July 23, it surpassed that with 298,419 riders. These figures pushed total ridership to 1.72 million between July 17 and July 23.

Previously, the post-pandemic record stood at 287,437 on June 19. For comparison, the 2019 weekday average was 316,692, the highest since 1949, showing how close ridership is to pre-pandemic levels.

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Customer Gains Drive Long Island Rail Road Growth

The surge reflects improved reliability and service quality. In the first half of 2025, 96.6% of trains arrived on time, the highest in decades and stronger than last year’s 95.7%.

Customer satisfaction reached 81% in spring 2025, up from 76% in fall 2024 and 70% in spring 2024. Riders increasingly trust the Long Island Rail Road for safe and dependable service.

Record Week Aligns with Transit Recovery Trends

These results come as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority reports the busiest summer subway week since 2019. On July 16, subways carried 4,121,751 passengers, despite severe rainfall two days earlier.

Crews worked overnight to restore full service after the storm, ensuring smooth travel the next day. Ridership growth across transit shows New Yorkers are returning to public transportation in record numbers.

With strong on-time performance and rising satisfaction, the Long Island Rail Road continues to lead New York’s transit recovery and remains the fastest, most reliable way to move across the region.

Source: www.metro-magazine.com

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