Metro-North, LIRR Mark On-Time Performance Milestones
The first two months of 2025 have seen exceptional service for Metro-North Railroad with an upward trajectory in both ridership and on-time performance, including a 100% on-time performance day across all three train lines earlier this month.
In January, 6.1 million people rode the LIRR — an increase of 617,096 customers, 11.2%, compared to January 2024 with commutation ridership up 8.4% and non-commutation ridership up 13.3% compared to last year.
Photo: Marc A. Hermann
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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and Metro-North Railroad trains are achieving significant milestones so far in 2025, with high on-time performance records and strong ridership gains, building on record service reliability documented in 2024.
The first two months of 2025 have seen exceptional service for Metro-North Railroad with an upward trajectory in both ridership and on-time performance, including a 100% on-time performance day across all three train lines on March 9 — the 21st time the railroad has reported 100% on-time performance since 2023.
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Meanwhile, LIRR customers have seen record levels of on-time performance, with a 2025 year-to-date on-time performance of almost 97% — three percent above the established monthly goal and almost two percent over 2024’s record of 95.65% outside of COVID years.
“We are delivering a faster and consistently reliable mode of public transportation to riders with each milestone the commuter railroads achieve,” said Gov. Hochul. “New Yorkers know that they can depend on the Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road trains every single day — whether it’s for their daily commute to work, or for a trip to a different part of New York State.”
On-Time Performance Data
On-time performance (OTP) on Metro-North for the week of February 24 through March 2 was 99% — marking an improvement across all three lines and meaning that almost every single train was on time. This was the ninth time since 2023 that all three of the Metro-North lines operated at 99% or better OTP in the same week.
The numbers from the first two months of 2025 follow a remarkable year for the railroad in 2024 — a year that saw Metro-North’s OTP hit an all-time high, exceeding 98%.
The Metro-North also saw an average daily ridership of 176,414 passengers on the week of February 24 through March 2 — an increase of 13.8% from the previous week.
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Meanwhile, LIRR set an all-time record in February of 96.4%.
In January, 6.1 million people rode the LIRR — an increase of 617,096 customers, 11.2%, compared to January 2024 with commutation ridership up 8.4% and non-commutation ridership up 13.3% compared to last year.
The LIRR is now carrying 85% of 2019 ridership with average Monday to Friday weekday ridership at 247,708. More than 1.4 million people rode the LIRR the week of February 24 through March 2.
On-time performance on Metro-North for the week of February 24 through March 2 was 99% — marking an improvement across all three lines and meaning that almost every single train was on time.
Photo: Marc A. Hermann
Ridership Achievements on Both Lines
There was also a strong rebound across several ridership categories.
Commutation ridership was up 17.1%, including a 17.1% increase for monthly ticket ridership and a 17.8% increase for weekly ticket ridership.
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Single trip ticket ridership was up 8.7% overall, including a 24% increase in peak single ticket ridership.
Although off-peak single ticket ridership was down 3.4%, CityTicket — tickets good for one-way travel that begins and ends within New York City — ridership increased 15.8%.
The announcement highlights the long-standing partnership between the Class I railroad and the commuter rail system, dating back to Metra's creation in 1983.
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