Five Additional Daily Trains Added to Line Service and Four LIRR Trains to Add Stops at Mets-Willets Point
LIRR Tickets Between Manhattan and Mets-Willets Point as Low as $5 with CityTicket
Designated Pick-Up and Drop-Off Spots for Access-A-Ride Customers
Listen to Recordings of Tennis Legends Billie Jean King, Patrick McEnroe and Andy Roddick Promoting Mass Transit Playing Throughout the Subway and LIRR
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today reminded all riders including the more than one million expected attendees to the US Open Fan Week that mass transit is the best way to get to the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens for all the US Open action. USTA will be kicking off US Open Fan Week, which begins Monday, Aug. 18 and concludes with Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day on Saturday, Aug. 23. The US Open Main Draw runs from Sunday, Aug. 24 to Sunday, Sept. 7.
For a fourth consecutive year, the MTA has teamed up with USTA tennis legends to provide recorded audio messages throughout the subway and Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), along the line, at Grand Central-42 St, Times Square-42 St and the Times Square Shuttle. Starting Monday, Aug. 18, 37-time Grand Slam champion and four-time US Open Women’s Singles Champion Billie Jean King, native New Yorker and doubles Grand Slam champion Patrick McEnroe, and Andy Roddick will be heard on platforms and in stations for the duration of the tournament.
“The US Open is an iconic annual event and the best way to get there is by using the greatest mass transit system in the world,” said New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow. “New York City Transit gives tennis fans the safest, fastest and most reliable way to see all the top tennis action.”
“The LIRR is ready to bring fans from all over the area to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for the US Open,” said Long Island Rail Road President Rob Free. “We encourage fans to use the Long Island Railroad with expanded service for the best customer experience, exceptional on time performance and reliability to see all the action.”
“New Yorkers know that mass transit is the best way to see every game, set and match at this year’s US Open,” said MTA Chief Customer Officer Shanifah Rieara. “There’s extra subway and LIRR service, buses that drop fans off right at the tennis center’s doorstep and a designated pick-up and drop-off location for Access-A-Ride customers.”
“We implore our fans to use mass transit,” said Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Chief Operating Officer Danny Zausner. “I will not take sides between the No. 7 train and the Long Island Rail Road. I will tell you that they both are spectacular, like the US Open. They are reliable, they are safe, and they get you here quickly. You do not want to be in the park, navigating through the park to find parking, when you got this incredible mass transit system that can get you here faster.”
"The US Open is a major international event that brings a huge number of fans from around the world to 'The World's Borough'”, said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. "Huge crowds usually lead to huge traffic jams on our roadways, but the MTA is stepping up with enhanced line, LIRR and Access-A-Ride service that will conveniently take fans to and from all the action. That's why fans should avoid a double fault and ace their trip to the US Open by taking mass transit to and from the matches."
Customers have a variety of public transportation options to get to the tournament including New York City Transit subway and buses, Long Island Rail Road, and Metro-North Railroad.
New York City Subways
The Mets-Willets Point station serves the US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Fans can always take either the local or the express train to reach the Mets-Willets Point station. Starting Monday, Aug. 25, New York City Transit will run five additional trains to supplement service after the last match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. During concurrent Mets home games, extra service will be operated. Supplemental trains will run express from Mets-Willets Point to 74th St-Broadway and then make all local stops to 34 St-Hudson Yards.
On Saturday Aug. 23 (Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day), northbound service will operate express from 74 St to Mets-Willets Point.
New York City Buses
The Q90 bus stops at Seaver Way and Roosevelt Ave, providing convenient access to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Customers can use the real-time bus ridership tracking feature on the MTA app before boarding.
Long Island Rail Road
Customers can take a train directly to Mets-Willets Point from Grand Central Madison or Penn Station via the Port Washington Branch, a 19-minute ride. Fares for this commute are only $5 during off-peak hours and $7 during peak hours with a purchase of a CityTicket, available in the TrainTime app.
Fans traveling from Long Island on other branches can reach the US Open by changing trains at Woodside, which is only about a seven-minute ride to Mets-Willets Point.
Beginning Monday, Aug. 18 through Friday, Sept. 6, the LIRR will be adding a Mets-Willets Point stop to four morning peak Port Washington trains between 8:30 a.m. and 9:31 a.m. to supplement service to US Open events. After 9:30 a.m. all westbound Port Washington trains already have a scheduled Mets-Willets Point stop, as do all weekend trains.
The 8:13 a.m. train from Port Washington to Grand Central will make an added stop at Mets-Willets Point at 8:37 a.m.
The 8:17 a.m. train from Great Neck to Penn Station will make an added stop at Mets-Willets Point at 8:34 a.m.
The 8:32 a.m. train from Port Washington to Grand Central will make an added stop at Mets-Willets Point at 9:00 a.m.
The 9:07 a.m. train from Port Washington to Grand Central will make an added stop at Mets-Willets Point at 9:31 a.m.
With the conclusion of trackwork on the Port Washington Branch, half-hourly service will be restored in both directions along the branch on Monday, Aug. 18.
Access-A-Ride (AAR) Paratransit
In coordination with USTA, a designated pick-up and drop-off location has been identified near the Champions' Entry for easy access to the Bille Jean King National Tennis Center for Access-A-Ride (AAR) customers.
Reservations for trips to and from the US Open must be made one to two days in advance by calling 877-337-2017 from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please use the words “US Open” when speaking to an agent and they will book your trips to/from the designated AAR stop. USTA has also included trip scheduling information on their website, including a map with the pick-up/drop-off point.
The AAR Command Center operates 24/7 to assist customers on the day of trip, such as confirming a reservation or ascertaining a vehicle’s estimated time of arrival. Customers should call 877-337-2017 or 718-393-4999 and press prompt #5.
Service Information Available
Information about how to get to the tournament is available through the MTA’s many real-time service information sources.
mta.info – The definitive source for real-time arrival information and service change information for each line or route in the MTA system. Customers can find current statuses on mta.info and upcoming planned service changes using the lookup tool at mta.info/alerts.
MTA app – Customers who use the comprehensive MTA app will see real-time train and bus arrival times and other travel information for all MTA services all in one place. The app is available in the Apple Store and in Google Play.
Email & Text Alerts – Customers can sign up for email and SMS alerts tailored to their specific commutes and travel times. They can also sign up for MTA newsletters such as The Weekender, a weekly newsletter that covers major weekend planned service changes. Customers can sign up here.
511 – For those who prefer to contact the MTA by telephone, information is available by dialing 511. Those who are deaf or hard of hearing can use their preferred service provider for the free 711 relay to reach the MTA at 511.
About the US Open
US Open Fan Week – the first week of the US Open – runs August 18-23 this year at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and features free grounds admission all six days. In addition to the separately ticketed events taking place during Week 1 – the blockbuster US Open Mixed Doubles Championship presented by Vital Proteins played August 19-20 and the fan-favorite Stars of the Open presented by Chase held August 21 – US Open Fan Week will feature a packed schedule of free and accessible tennis and entertainment for fans and families of all ages.
The US Open Men's and Women's Singles Championships begin on Sunday, August 24.
The US Open runs Monday, August 18 - Sunday, September 7.