Here’s How the New Metro-North Combo Ticket Works

It was a historic week in New York City when Governor Kathy Hochul helped celebrate the opening of the new Grand Central Madison train station in Manhattan. While the main goal was to help commuters on the east side of the city, there was also something very helpful added for Hudson Valley, NY Metro-North travelers.

The Grand Central Madison station, which cost nearly $3 billion, has added 271 LIRR trains daily to the train schedule. The boon for upstate commuters, however, is the new combo ticket.

Benefits of the New Grand Central Madison Station for the Hudson Valley, NY

The location of Grand Central Madison next to the original Grand Central Station means that Metro-North riders no longer have to make their way across town to Penn Station to use LIRR service. The convenience of the new transfers are compounded further with the new Combo Ticket. Here's how it works.

What Is the New Metro-North Combo Ticket?

The Combo Ticket is a flat $8 fee on top of your standard Metro-North ticket. No matter where you're traveling on the LIRR, the $8 fee never changes. Here's an example from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA):

If you plan a trip that starts on Metro-North in Beacon and ends on LIRR in Long Beach, you’ll pay the off-peak fare for the first leg of the trip — Beacon to Grand Central — plus an additional $8 for the rest of your trip to Long Beach. The farther you travel, the more you’ll save.

How and Where to Buy the New Metro-North Combo Ticket

That $8 fee may well represent the cab fare many riders would have paid to take them to the LIRR at Penn Station before the completion of Grand Central Madison. While convenient, Combo Tickets cannot be bought onboard trains or in New York City, but may be purchased at Metro-North stations east of the Hudson River or when available on the Train Time app. Learn more here.