The Long Island Rail Road is marking st patrick day with an annual, system-wide 24-hour ban on drinking that begins on Tuesday at 5: 00 am ET and also covers Metro-North. The railroad is adding extra service into and out of Manhattan to handle crowds expected for the parade.
St Patrick Day Transit Ban
The 24-hour alcohol ban on the LIRR and Metro-North takes effect on Tuesday at 5: 00 am ET. The measure covers all service for the full day and is part of a recurring practice for the holiday. The ban for st patrick day dates back to 2000 and is applied on what is considered one of the heaviest drinking days of the year.
Parade Time, Route and Officials
The annual parade will begin at 44th Street and Fifth Avenue at 11: 00 am ET, with marchers heading uptown. Mayor Zohran Mamdani plans to march in the parade with the police commissioner, Jessica Tisch. Mamdani said the day represents not only a celebration of the contributions of Irish Americans to the city but also elements of solidarity and shared ethos.
How Service Is Being Adjusted and What Riders Should Expect
To accommodate expected crowds for the parade, the Long Island Rail Road is adding extra trains into and out of Manhattan. Riders are advised to expect increased service levels on lines serving Manhattan stations. While alcohol is generally allowed on the region’s commuter railroads under normal circumstances, periodic bans are imposed for certain high-attendance events; similar temporary prohibitions have been used for SantaCon in December and New Year’s service days.
The LIRR’s 24-hour prohibition is intended to cover the whole of Tuesday, starting at 5: 00 am ET, and will remain in place for the remainder of the day. Riders planning to travel to or from the parade area should plan for heavier-than-usual crowds and make use of the added trains where possible.
Officials have emphasized the annual nature of the transit restriction and the service adjustments that accompany it, while urging riders to prepare for the parade’s large turnout.
