By Hank Russell
A series of service and infrastructure improvements are scheduled to be made on the Long Island Rail Road’s (LIRR) Montauk branch. The upgrades will come in two phases: the first phase will extend the track siding at the Amagansett station; the second phase will include the construction of a permanent second platform at the Hampton Bays station.
These projects will increase operational flexibility along the Montauk branch, which will improve reliability, reduce delays, and enable future service increases at a time when ridership along the branch has reached historic highs, said Governor Kathy Hochul.
“The LIRR is already the best and most convenient way to travel to and from the East End, but for years, aging infrastructure has stood in the way of improving service to keep up with surging demand,” Hochul said. “By making smart investments in our rail system, we can soon make jam-packed summer trains a thing of the past by increasing reliability and running more service on the Montauk branch, making it easier than ever for New Yorkers to travel out east by train.”
Under the first phase, the train car siding at Amagansett will be extended by 14 LIRR train car lengths; this will also shorten the distance of single-track rail on the Montauk branch to eleven miles between Amagansett and Montauk, and 16 miles between Southampton and Amagansett. These upgrades will improve scheduling flexibility and the railroad’s ability to recover from service disruptions, in addition to providing riders with improved overall service.
The project is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2028, with completion anticipated in the second quarter of 2029. Upon completion of these improvements, the LIRR will seek to leverage the additional operational flexibility and increase or improve service on the Montauk branch to meet ridership demands.
The second phase entails making the temporary platform at the Hampton Bays station that was installed for the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills permanent. The addition of the new eastbound side platform will allow passengers to board and exit trains in both directions without requiring the train to make additional movements when entering or leaving the Hampton Bays station, which increases reliability and accessibility for passengers while giving the LIRR more operational flexibility.
The Hampton Bays station will also undergo track and signal upgrades, which will allow the track siding to accommodate trains with as many as eight cars, up from the current six, and customers will be able to easily board and disembark trains on the entire length of the platform, improving passenger flow.
Assemblymember Tommy John Schiavoni (D-Sag Harbor) said, “Today’s announcement by the MTA demonstrates a commitment to expanding transit options on Long Island’s underutilized East End railroads. As summers get more crowded, more options will be necessary to accommodate commuters and combat excessive traffic.”
The $68 billion 2025-29 Capital Plan allocates $6 billion for improvements on the LIRR, including infrastructure and rolling stock, a $300 million increase from the 2020-24 Capital Plan. The improvement projects at the Amagansett and Hampton Bays stations are estimated to cost a combined $78 million out of the 2025-29 Capital Plan.
In addition, the 5:13 p.m. train from Penn Station to Montauk — which historically only ran during the peak summer season — will run year-round beginning September 2026, giving riders a permanent one seat ride from New York City to the East End. Previously, the 5:13 p.m. eastbound train from Penn Station only ran east of Speonk during the summer months.
This is in addition to the South Fork Commuter Connection service, which began in 2019 and serves the local community by providing reverse-peak service operating between Speonk and Amagansett.
Ridership continues to grow on the Montauk branch, with 1,212,229 passengers recorded so far this year, compared to the 1,138,921 passengers recorded at the same time last year — a 6.4% increase, according to the governor’s office. Several stations on the Montauk Branch have seen significant ridership increases this year: Hampton Bays’ ridership or 62,961 is up 23% from last year with Southampton seeing an even larger 46% increase as 88,453 customers have traveled through the station thus far in 2026.
East End keeps growing and the LIRR is meeting the moment. First, we’re adding new permanent daily service to Montauk, next we’re bringing these over 100-year-old stations into the 21st century and making it possible to increase service.”
“Demand for service to the East End keeps growing and the LIRR is meeting the moment,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “First, we’re adding new permanent daily service to Montauk, next we’re bringing these over 100-year-old stations into the 21st century and making it possible to increase service.”
Long Island Rail Road President Rob Free added, “As we continue to show our commitment to the east end of Long Island, these improvements on the Montauk Branch will deliver even more reliable service and shorter waits for the thousands of daily LIRR riders who depend on us. And with a new year-round weekday one seat ride to Montauk from Penn Station, we’re delivering the kind of convenient, predictable service our customers deserve while supporting the tourism and local industries that power the East End.”