Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) ridership reached pre-pandemic levels in June, marking the first time since 2019 that one of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) services has exceeded its pre-COVID numbers. The surge was significantly influenced by major events including the New York Knicks' NBA Finals victory and the U.S. Open golf tournament.
Nearly eight million travelers used the LIRR in June, a 102% increase compared to the same month in 2019. LIRR President Rob Free highlighted that this period saw the highest non-commutation ridership in the railroad's history. Approximately five million of the June travelers were not traditional Monday-to-Friday commuters.
The LIRR transported thousands of fans to Manhattan for the Knicks' championship parade on June 18, 2026, the day after their NBA Finals win. Ridership peaked at 190,009 on Friday, June 19, coinciding with celebratory events across the city.
Additionally, the LIRR served a large number of spectators attending the four-day U.S. Open golf tournament held at Shinnecock Hills in Southampton. Golf fans traveled to the event, which concluded on June 21, 2026.
Officials anticipate that July ridership will also see a boost due to continued summer travel and World Cup games. In contrast, subway ridership, while showing a nearly 4% increase from the previous year, still lags below pre-pandemic levels, with June's weekday ridership averaging 4.18 million, compared to over 5.5 million before the pandemic.