Fore!!
The 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black is only days away now and we want to take this last opportunity to let you know how it could impact your service.
The Open Championship will be held during the week of June 15 - June 21 and if you are one of the tens of thousands of golf fans who will be traveling to Bethpage State Park, the LIRR is the best way to get there.
Our regular customers should be aware that we are adding extra train service to Farmingdale to accommodate the additional customers traveling to The Open. We expect our Ronkonkoma Branch trains to be fully utilized, so ... no bikes please.
If you are one of the lucky ticket holders, and plan to use the LIRR to get to The Open, please go to our website for details about the service we are offering.

Travel Tips To The Open
Our first travel tip addresses safety: Please step over the gap between the train and the platform when entering and exiting your train.
Your safety is our number one concern. Please avoid stepping into the gap.
Secondly - spectators, volunteers and staff will not be allowed on the shuttle buses at Farmingdale or through the Admission Gates with any of the items listed below and people bringing these items to the station will be required to wait on an additional line in order to leave them at a security station. Neither the LIRR or the USGA will be responsible for personal items left at the security station. You are therefore strongly urged not to bring any of these items on your trip.

Please be sure to read the following list of USGA-prohibited items carefully:

• No Cell Phones (including cell phones with photographic capabilities)
• No PDAs and/or other Portable Email Devices
• No Noise Producing Electronic Devices (including MP3 Players)
• No Cameras and/or Camcorders (other than Monday to Wednesday for personal
  non-commercial photographic use only and without their cases)
• No Bags larger than 8”W X 8”H X 8”D in their natural state
• No Cases and/or Covers (such as chair or umbrella covers)
• No Signs, Posters and/or Banners
• No Televisions and/or Radios unless provided by the USGA
• No Food and/or Beverages
• No Containers and/or Coolers
• No Pets (other than service animals)
• No Lawn and/or Folding Armchairs
• No Bicycles
• No Ladders and/or Step-Stools or other similar items
• No Metal-spiked Golf Shoes
• No Weapons (regardless of permit, including but not limited to, firearms or
  knives)
• No other items deemed unlawful or dangerous by the USGA and/or Championship Security Personnel, in their sole discretion. For additional information visit the U.S. Open website.

July 4th Weekend Getaway Trains
This year the Railroad will be providing extra getaway service on the afternoons of Thursday, July 2 and Friday, July 3 to help our customers get started on their Independence Day holiday.
The added getaway service will consist of eight extra holiday eve trains, including three trains on the Babylon Branch (2:25 PM, 3 PM and 3:31 PM); three trains on the Port Jefferson Branch (2:02 PM, 2:22 PM and 3:24 PM); one train on the Port Washington Branch (3:40 PM); and one train on the Far Rockaway Branch (3:48 PM). Please check your schedule for additional details.
Hamptons/Montauk customers: our extra Friday afternoon/evening trains will also operate on Thursday, July 2, including the 3:58 PM express train from Penn Station to Jamaica that allows customers to connect with "The Cannonball."

Beach Packages
The LIRR's season of summer discounted beach package tickets to Jones Beach, Long Beach and Fire Island has begun.
Go to our website to learn all about the packages we’re offering,including LIRR fares and beach admission fees. From Long Beach to Robert Moses, Jones Beach and everything on Fire Island, our beaches are as diverse as our customers. Just choose the beach that's best for you ... and we'll get you there.

Fare Increase Effective June 17
LIRR ticket prices will increase an average of 10%, instead of 26%, thanks to recent financial assistance from Albany. The higher fares will take effect on Wednesday, June 17, 2009 and customers should note that:

• Onboard ticket prices will increase, and will now cost between $5.75 and $6.50 more than tickets bought in advance
• Weekly Tickets for June 20-26 will be priced at the new rate
• June 2009 Monthly Tickets will remain valid through June 30, with no added charge for use between June 17 and June 30
• July 2009 Monthly tickets, on sale as of June 20, will be priced at the new rate
• MetroCard prices will increase on June 28, 2009

To save money, buy tickets before boarding at LIRR Ticket Machines or Ticket Windows.  Additional discounts are available through the LIRR’s Mail&Ride and WebTicket services. For more information visit our website.

The Subway Series
Segment 2 of the Subway Series will be conducted at the spanking new Citi Field on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 26/27/28. Both of New York’s baseball teams are doing their best to live up to our high expectations ... and the heat and excitement generated whenever the Mets and the Yanks square off is certain to be in the air.  We'll be adding service to try to get everybody there on time. Check our website for the details.
Please note: Mets-Willets Point Station is NOT wheelchair accessible.


On Time Performance (OTP)
May's OTP of 96.64% was the best we've ever posted for the month of May ... beating the old record of 95.96% set just last year.

BRANCH	AM Peak	PM Peak	Off- Peak	Total May 2009	Total May 2008
Babylon	98.6	93.7	96.9	96.7	95.8
Far Rockaway	99.1	97.2	98.9	98.7	97.8
Hicksville/Huntington	97.3	93.9	95.6	95.7	95.6
Hempstead	98.1	95.0	97.8	97.6	96.8
Long Beach	99.6	95.9	97.9	97.9	97.4
Montauk	94.4	90.0	93.5	93.3	95.3
Oyster Bay	97.9	93.3	96.8	96.5	95.8
Port Jefferson	97.5	94.3	95.3	95.5	92.6
Port Washington	98.3	99.7	97.9	98.2	95.7
Greenport/Ronkonkoma	98.1	93.3	93.4	94.2	94.7
West Hempstead	100.0	94.2	98.6	98.1	98.4
TOTAL	98.2	94.9	96.7	96.6	96.0

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