SOUTHAMPTON, NY — Long Island Rail Road passengers traveling to and from the East End will face overnight service changes next week, with buses replacing trains between Babylon and Montauk for three consecutive nights.
According to an MTA/LIRR service notice published by the Town of Southampton, the changes will be in effect Tuesday, September 22 through Thursday, September 24, from approximately 9 p.m. until 4 a.m. each night.
Replacement buses will serve passengers along the Montauk Branch while the overnight train service is suspended. The notice divides bus service into three zones, including service covering Bellport through Southampton and another covering Bridgehampton through Montauk.
The arrangement means some trips will take longer than normal, and riders should pay close attention to which replacement-bus zone serves their destination. According to the notice, passengers will not be able to make local trips between stations located in different bus zones during the affected hours.
Westbound passengers should also plan to leave earlier because replacement buses are scheduled to depart ahead of the corresponding regular train times.
The last trains scheduled to operate before the nightly service change include the 8:36 p.m. departure from Babylon and the 9:07 p.m. departure from Speonk. Regular train service is scheduled to resume with the 4:10 a.m. departure from Speonk following the overnight work period.
The changes are particularly relevant for passengers traveling through Southampton Town and farther east, where the Montauk Branch provides the primary LIRR connection for communities across the South Fork.
Riders traveling during the affected periods should allow additional time and check current LIRR schedules before leaving for their station.