Far Rockaway branch service to be suspended next two weekends

Service on the Far Rockaway branch will be suspended in both directions for next weekend starting on May 22 due to a switch being replaced in Valley Stream, Long Island Rail Road officials said.

The work began on Saturday, May 15 to Sunday, May 16 and will continue from Saturday, May 22 to Sunday, May 23. Heading west customers at stations Far Rockaway through Gibson will board buses or vans, and then transfer to westbound trains at the Valley Stream station. Buses will depart up to 30 minutes earlier than usual train times.

Customers traveling east can board Long Beach-bound trains to Valley Stream and exit for bus service at the stations Gibson through Far Rockaway. Plan for up to 30 minutes of additional travel time. During the overnight periods, some buses will run between Far Rockaway and Jamaica.

Along the Long Beach branch, westbound trains will depart up to 20 minutes earlier than usual train times. Additionally, all eastbound and westbound Long Beach trains will stop at Valley Stream, Rosedale, Laurelton and Locust Manor.

All eastbound and westbound trains along the West Hempstead branch will originate and terminate at Jamaica Station, and run express between Jamaica and Westwood Station (no stops at Valley Stream).

There will be no train service to or from the St. Albans station. As an alternative, customers traveling from points west of St. Albans will board eastbound Babylon trains and detrain at Lynbrook, where a bus will take them west to St. Albans. Customers traveling from points east of Lynbrook will take a Babylon train to Lynbrook where they will board a bus to take them to St. Albans.