LIRR service to Grand Central Madison will begin Wednesday: MTA

the long overdue The Grand Central Madison station is finally set to open this week — though service will be limited upon its initial launch, the MTA announced Monday.

The first train is scheduled to leave Jamaica at 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday, arriving at the new station located 150 feet below Grand Central Station just 22 minutes later at 11:07 a.m.

The announcement came nearly a week later Gothamist reported that the MTA has begun running empty trains to test service at the station. Federal records show that the agency previously planned to open the station by the end of 2022, a deadline set after years of construction delays and $11.6 billion. The project was originally scheduled to be completed in 2011 at a cost of $4.3 billion.

For at least the first three weeks, LIRR will operate limited shuttle service between the two stations daily “so customers can get to know the new station,” according to a press release from the MTA. Later, the agency will start the full service, and will publish its schedules on its website website and the TrainTime app. Once that happens, the MTA plans to boost LIRR train service by 41%, officials said.

The first service between Jamaica and Grand Central Madison will operate between 6:15 am and 8:00 pm on weekdays and 7:00 am to 11:00 pm on weekends. Trains will run every 30 minutes in both directions during midday periods and on weekends, and once an hour during peak and midday hours.

Stephen Nessen contributed reporting.