Weekly Subway Ridership of April 4-10 Was Highest of the Year
Subway Records 1 Million OMNY Taps for First Time on Friday, April 8
MTA Reminds New Yorkers That Public Transportation Is the Best Way to Get to Citi Field for Mets Games: Subway, LIRR, Buses and Paratransit Provide Plentiful Service to All Mets Home Games
View Video from Today’s News Conference
View Photos from Today’s News Conference
As the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced a slew of positive trends in subway ridership, agency officials gathered at Citi Field a day before the New York Mets’ home opener to remind New Yorkers that public transportation is the best way to get to Mets games with new fare options such as fare capping and a 20-trip LIRR ticket that make travel more affordable.
Millions of New Yorkers returned to the subway on the day after a shooting incident in Brooklyn, with ridership increasing 2% on Wednesday, April 13, to 3.15 million riders, and grew 7.2% in Brooklyn, rising to 709,000 from 661,000 on Tuesday. The quick rebound following the incident follows the subway’s strongest week of 2022, with 20.3 million rides provided between Monday, April 4, and Sunday, April 10, surpassing the 19.8 million rides provided during previous week of Monday, March 28, to Sunday, April 3, as the record high for the year. And underscoring the strong growth of the MTA’s convenient new tap-and-go fare payment system, OMNY, the week also included the first time 1 million customers tapped into the subway in one day – on Friday, April 8 – and now accounts for one third of subway fare payments.
OMNY offers special fare rewards that work well for Mets fans. Under the MTA’s best fares pilot, NYC Transit riders who tap and go with OMNY this baseball season will be charged the standard $2.75 pay-per-ride fare only for their first 12 trips, starting every Monday. The “lucky 13th trip” and any additional trips through the following Sunday would be free. This season, Mets fans can also take advantage of the Long Island Rail Road’s new 20-trip ticket, which offers 20% off comparable 20-peak one-way fares on the LIRR when purchased through MTA eTix or at a ticket window.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Mets fans back to Citi Field for what we all hope is a Championship Season,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “The MTA is the best way to get to Citi Field, and with the MTA’s new discounted 20-trip LIRR ticket and the opportunity to tap and go with OMNY on the way to the lucky 13th tap. So, the more Mets games you go to, the faster you get free rides on New York City Transit.”
“Tomorrow will be a great day for Mets fans,” said Sandy Alderson, New York Mets President. “What contributes to a great day is public transit. It’s important to our fans, to our employees, and to all citizens of New York, and that includes me. I ride the , the and the lines to get to and from Citi Field. Public transit is what makes New York so vibrant.”
“It’s an exciting time to be a Mets fan and taking public transit is the cleanest and cheapest way to get to the game,” said Long Island Rail Road Interim President Cathy Rinaldi. “The MTA’s new fare options make it easier for customers to leave their cars and high gas prices behind as they sit back and relax on their way to and from Citi Field.”
“Every Mets fan remembers seeing people streaming off of the train to Shea Stadium back in the day and it is still the best way to get to games at Citi Field from Times Square, Grand Central, Hunters Point Avenue, Woodside and more,” said NYC Transit Interim President Craig Cipriano. “The Q 48 bus runs along Roosevelt Avenue and stops right here at Citi Field along with a designated paratransit stop at 41 Seaver Way. Mass transit is the best way to the game in a fast, safe and environmentally friendly way.”
Here are details of game day service to Citi Field:
New York City Subway and Buses
The Mets-Willets Point station is right in front of Citi Field on Roosevelt Avenue near 126th Street. Fans can always take either the local or the express to reach Mets-Willets Point.
The Q48 bus stops at 126th Street and Roosevelt Avenue, right in front of Citi Field. Customers can use the real-time bus ridership tracking feature on the MYmta app before boarding.
Long Island Rail Road
The LIRR provides direct service to the Mets-Willets Point station all season long via the Port Washington Branch, just a 19-minute ride from Penn Station. Citi Field is just 17 minutes from Great Neck and 27 minutes from Port Washington. Fans traveling from Long Island on other branches can reach Citi Field by changing at Woodside, just a five-minute ride from the stadium.
Port Washington Branch trains have been making stops at Mets-Willets Point around-the-clock to provide service to the mass vaccination site at Citi Field during non-game hours and will make stops at Mets-Willets Point Station throughout the regular season for all home games.
Access-A-Ride
Access-A-Ride paratransit has a designated stop at Citi Field located at 41 Seaver Way (126th St and 37th Ave), south of the BullPen Gate in the Passenger Loading Zone (second cut out) directly in front of the AMWAY awning. Customers have ample shelter and a clear sight line of 126th street from BullPen Gate.
To book a trip customers can call (877)-337-2017, use MyAAR or the MYmta app.
https://www.mlb.com/mets/ballpark/disability-access-guide#accessmap
Metro-North Railroad
Mets fans from the Hudson Valley or Connecticut can catch any Metro-North train to Grand Central to connect with the train to Citi Field.
New York Transit Museum
Fans can travel to home games in style with the New York Transit Museum Store’s Train to the Game Collection that includes tees, hats, magnets, mugs and more.