NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade: Best ways to get there by train

MANHATTAN (PIX11) — The first-ever New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade was held 261 years ago. This year, it is back running north along Fifth Avenue from East 44th Street up to East 79th Street.

PIX11 has made it easy for you to see the parade. Here is a list of all the best ways to get to the parade route, according to the MTA.

Subway

No. 4, 5 and 6 trains to Lexington Avenue; covering the entire parade route
E and M train to the Fifth Avenue/53rd Street station
N, R and W trains to 59th Street/Lexington Avenue station
Sixth Avenue line B, D, F and M trains to 42nd Street/Bryant Park or 47th-50th Street/Rockefeller Center

Metro-North Railroad

The East-of-Hudson service of Metro-North Railroad will run on a regular weekday schedule, according to the MTA. However, there are extra trains on the Hudson, Harlem and New Haven lines so that Metro-North can account for the potential increase in customers during the parade.

The West-of-Hudson line will all so run on a regular weekday schedule. An extra Port Jervis train is scheduled to leave Port Jervis at 7 a.m. and stop at Suffern and then Ramsey-Route 17 before heading straight to Secaucus Junction, according to the MTA.

Long Island Rail Road

Thanks to the newly opened Grand Central Madison, LIRR riders get even closer to the parade route. According to the MTA, the LIRR will provide ushers to direct riders to the street exits leading to Madison Avenue from East 42nd Street and East 48th Street.

There will also be extra westbound trains to Penn Station before the parade. There will be two on the Babylon Branch and two on the Ronkonkoma Branch. In addition, the MTA said, all four will have transfers to Grand Central trains at Jamaica stop.

The following lines are recommended by the MTA for those planning on going to the parade:

An 8:59 a.m. train from Farmingdale will make stops at Bethpage, Hicksville, Westbury, Carle Place, Mineola, Merillon Avenue, New Hyde Park, Jamaica, and Penn Station.

A 9:10 a.m. train from Ronkonkoma will stop at Central Islip, Brentwood, Deer Park, Wyandanch, Farmingdale, Bethpage, Hicksville, Mineola, Jamaica, and Penn Station.
A 9:27 a.m. train from Babylon will stop at Wantagh, Bellmore, Merrick, Freeport, Baldwin, Rockville Centre, Jamaica, and Penn Station.
A 9:30 a.m. train from Freeport will stop at Baldwin, Rockville Centre, Lynbrook, Jamaica, and Penn Station.

The following lines are recommended by the MTA for those leaving the parade from Penn Station or Grand Central Madison:

Grand Central Madison

A 2:04 p.m. Babylon Branch train will stop at Jamaica, Lynbrook, Rockville Centre, and all stops to Babylon.
A 2:54 p.m. Babylon Branch train will stop at Jamaica, Lynbrook, Rockville Centre, and all stops to Babylon.
A 3:07 p.m. Port Washington Branch train will stop at Woodside, Flushing Main Street, and all stops to Great Neck.

Penn Station

A 2:38 p.m. Babylon Branch train from Penn Station will make stops at Jamaica, Rockville Centre, and all stops to Babylon.

A 3:26 p.m. Port Washington Branch train from Penn Station will make stops at Woodside, Flushing Main Street, and all stops to Great Neck.
A 3:45 p.m. Babylon Branch train from Penn Station will make stops at Jamaica, Rockville Centre, and all stops to Wantagh and Massapequa.