LIRR Adds Extra Service for Barclays

The Long Island Rail Road is planning extra trains for travelers headed to the The Barclays PGA Tour at Bethpage State Park in August.

And, for good measure, it will test a system allowing passengers to print or display their bar-coded tickets on a smart phone.

LIRR President Helena Williams said the railroad will increase its regular hourly off-peak service to Farmingdale station to half-hourly service on the days the biggest crowds are expected, starting with the first round of competition on  Aug. 23 and continuing until the tournament wraps on Aug.26.

At Farmingdale Station, fans will board free PGA Tour shuttle buses to Bethpage State Park.

The pilot ticket program will involve technology developed by CooCoo, a Huntington company. If all goes well, the LIRR plans to expand it to more lines and services.

  "For the first time in the history of the LIRR, our customers will be able to buy their train tickets online and print them out at their home or office for The Barclays event," said Williams. "They also can simply download an LIRR ticket to their smart phones. This pilot program offers great customer convenience and allows the LIRR to test out the CooCoo technology during the six days of The Barclays event."

"Leave the car at home because there will be no faster or more convenient way to get to The Barclays than the Long Island Rail Road," LIRR President Helena  Williams said. "We are delighted to be an official sponsor of this event, which is expected to draw up to 35,000 spectators a day to Bethpage, one of the crown jewels of the state park system. This nationally-televised event will be a boost for local tourism and a shot in the arm for the Long Island economy.

The Barclays draws 125 golfers on the PGA TOUR and kicks off the four-event FedExCup Playoffs which determine the season-long champion. Expected to compete are top ranked players like Tiger Woods, Bubba Wilson, Matt Kuchar, Webb Simpson, Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler, the LIRR said.

There is no parking available at Bethpage State Park for The Barclays. Fans who travel by car must park at Jones Beach, then board shuttle buses for the trek to the golf course.

Suffolk County residents traveling west to Farmingdale can park at any LIRR station east of Farmingdale (Ronkonkoma, Central Islip, Brentwood, Deer Park and Wyandanch) for free on weekends, then take a train to The Barclays. Nassau County residents traveling east to Farmingdale can park on weekends at the Mineola Intermodal Center at Mineola Station for $5.

For more information, including the LIRR's special The Barclays timetable, customers can go to the LIRR website or pick up printed copies at any LIRR station. Customers can also call 511, the New York State Travel Information Line and say: Long Island Rail Road.