MTA opens new Yaphank-BNL LIRR station

Local elected officials joined executives from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Brookhaven National Laboratory and Long Island business leaders Friday to cut the ribbon on the new Yaphank-BNL Long Island Rail Road station. 

The $20 million project relocated the station from its original site, aiming to provide better access to Brookhaven National Laboratory and nearby roadways like the William Floyd Parkway and the Long Island Expressway. 

Yaphank-BNL is the first new LIRR station opened on the Island since the Elmont-UBS Station opened in 2021, and only the second new station in 50 years. 

“The LIRR is the lifeblood of Long Island, and through projects like the brand new Yaphank-BNL station, we are investing in it like never before,” Hochul said in a written statement. “By locating this new and improved station right next to major employers and critical regional connections, we are ready to move the entire east end towards a future of economic growth and opportunity.” 

The new station has an ADA-compliant ramp access to the platform, which can accommodate two train cars, matching the length of trains that operate between Ronkonkoma and Greenport, according to the statement. It also has a 50-car parking lot with an integrated bus loop for pickups and drop-offs, a plaza area with train schedules and bike racks, and a Help Point intercom on the platform.  

“Relocating Yaphank station to be closer to the action was the right choice for a fast-growing community focused on the future,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said in the statement. “Now that it’s open, we can ramp up the feasibility study now underway that’s exploring new ways to improve and increase service on the Ronkonkoma branch.” 

Train service begins Saturday, July 18, with the first trains departing Yaphank-BNL at 5:36 a.m. to Greenport and 8:02 a.m. to Ronkonkoma.  

“This station creates a direct line to discovery. We are very excited to have it open,” Brookhaven Lab Director John Hill said in the statement. “It improves access for scientific collaborators from around the world, students from across the region, and staff and visitors from Long Island and New York City. As we build the Electron-Ion Collider and carry out cutting-edge research, it will lead to benefits locally and beyond.” 

The new station opens as the MTA studies potential infrastructure improvements to support more frequent and reliable service on the LIRR Main Line east of Ronkonkoma. The study will assess possible signal upgrades, improvements to communications and other infrastructure and possibly adding a second track along all or part of the branch between Ronkonkoma and Riverhead and electrifying a portion of the branch east of Ronkonkoma. 

“Infrastructure investments deliver long-term economic returns, and the opening of the new, modernized Yaphank-BNL Station will create a ripple effect across our region,” LIA Acting President and CEO Stacey Sikes said in the statement. “The LIA appreciates the commitment of Governor Hochul, the MTA, and Long Island Rail Road for advancing future upgrades to support growth and opportunity on the East End.”