By Hank Russell
Federal, state, county, and local officials celebrated the grand opening of the new Long Island Rail Road Yaphank-BNL Station on July 17, which they said marks the realization of a vision that began years ago to improve rail access for Brookhaven residents and strengthen transportation infrastructure in eastern Suffolk County.
Yaphank-BNL is the first new LIRR station opened on the island since the Elmont-UBS Station opened in 2021, and only the second new station in fifty years, according to the governor’s office. Train service started on July 18, with the first trains departing Yaphank-BNL at 5:36 a.m. to Greenport and 8:02 a.m. to Ronkonkoma.
“The LIRR is the lifeblood of Long Island, and through projects like the brand new Yaphank-BNL station, we are investing in it like never before,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “By locating this new and improved station right next to major employers and critical regional connections, we are ready to move the entire east end towards a future of economic growth and opportunity.”
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber called the relocation of the original Yaphank station “the right choice for a fast-growing community focused on the future.”
“Customers on eastern Long Island are getting a modern, fully accessible station designed to better meet their needs today and into the future,” LIRR President Rob Free added. Yaphank-BNL improves the customer experience with better amenities, stronger regional connections and the reliable service riders expect from the LIRR.”
Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico reflected on the origins of the project, explaining that while serving as a town councilman, he frequently passed the original Yaphank station and recognized its untapped potential.
“As a Councilman, most days I traveled to Town Hall via County Road 21 in Yaphank and would pass the small, largely unused train station beneath the overpass on the Ronkonkoma Line,” he said.
At that time, Panico reached out to former MTA Board Member Mitch Pally and shared his idea of relocating the station to East Yaphank near the industrial park and Brookhaven National Laboratory. “[Pally] immediately understood the value of the concept and shared the vision of creating better rail access for the Tri-Hamlet communities and residents of Ridge, Wading River, Shoreham, Rocky Point, Sound Beach, and other northern Brookhaven communities,” Panico said.
Panico also credited Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, who was the Brookhaven Town Supervisor at the time, for embracing the concept and helping move the project from an idea to reality.
The new Yaphank-BNL Station replaces the original Yaphank station, which had served the community for more than 140 years. Located near William Floyd Parkway and Brookhaven National Laboratory, the new station provides improved accessibility, a 50-space parking lot, bicycle racks, enhanced lighting, and better access to one of the region’s largest employment centers.
“This station creates a direct line to discovery,” Brookhaven Lab Director John Hill said. “We are very excited to have it open. It improves access for scientific collaborators from around the world, students from across the region, and staff and visitors from Long Island and New York City. As we build the Electron-Ion Collider and carry out cutting-edge research, it will lead to benefits locally and beyond.”
“This station began as an idea and took years of collaboration and persistence to achieve,” Panico added. “Today, it stands as an important investment in the future of Brookhaven and a significant step forward in meeting the transportation needs of our growing region.”
The opening of the Yaphank-BNL Station is expected to improve rail access for residents, commuters, students, and visitors while supporting economic development, expanding transportation options, and strengthening connections to Brookhaven National Laboratory and the surrounding business community.