Towns near NYC w/ frequent LIRR service (Babylon, Huntington: first time home buyer, transfer)

[RollingStone1521]

Hi All,

Happy New Year! I was wondering which towns in Nassau County have quick commutes to Manhattan on the LIRR. I have heard from people who live on LI that Rockville Centre, Mineola, and Hicksville are all good in terms of commute time, number of trains that run through those stations, express trains, etc. Please let me know as I am planning to move somewhere in Nassau County and public transportation is an important factor. I hope this is not a repetitive post.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

[Coachgns]

Those are good choices for LIRR service to NYC.
But better would be Great Neck, Manhasset or Port WAshington.
Service is more frequent, and it is Direct - i.e. no changing trains, or stopping in, Jamaica. I think it is the most reliable line.

[Buscape]

All good choices... Hicksville is actually the best station in Nassau... It has about 6 trains every hour during peak times... If you're looking for your transportation to be within walking distance to your place of residence... The better choices would be Mineola, Rockville Centre, Lynbrook, Valley Stream... They all get about 5 and have have some neighboorhoods within walking distance... Some of the smaller stations Long Beach, New Hyde Park, Westbury, Syosset get like 2/3 an hour and also have better options within walking distance...
Great Neck, Manhasset, Port Washington are also good choices... They get about 4... Some people talk about not going through Jamaica as a positive... In my opinion its not that much quicker or effiecent considering all the other stops it makes after Great Neck... Plus If you want to go through BK, Downtown, or JFK you need to transfer in Jamiaca...
A transfer in Jamaica is really no big deal... Most trains service are direct if you need a transfer it mostly requires you to get up and walk a couple of feet to the a train across the platform... People just like to complain...

[WithDisp]

Mineola, Hicksville have about twice the trains of the other stations and are short lines.

Lynbrook, Great Neck are pretty good as well.

Pretty much anything on the Babylon line is rediculously slow and at late night have one train every 90 minutes are so.

[raiser]

Hicksville has the most stops out of all of the trains since the Huntington and Ronkonkoma trains roll through here.

[eh270]

I grew up in Great Neck but am priced out as a first time home buyer; my wife and I are looking in Merrick now, which has a 40 minute (or so) AM rush hour ride into Penn. Some of these rush hour trains go direct without stopping. The local stops add 10 minutes or so, as I understand it.

[Jdawg8181]

I would def. say Lunbrook, b/c it is serviced by 2 branches- LB branch and Babylon.

[Jetties]

Stations with the most stops are usually the most crowded. I traveled from Hicksville and it is convenient but crowded. While it is nice that the Port Washington line doesnt have to stop in Jamaica there are plenty of trains that go direct to Penn (they do have to slow down to go through Jamaica though). I am loving the Babylon line

[KarenBo]

Valley Stream is a good station. They get two or three lines that stop there (Long Beach, Far Rockaway, and sometimes Babylon). Plus they redid the indoor waiting area and its clean and comfortable. I live in Lynbrook, and I think my commute is good. In nice weather I can walk to either the Lynbrook station or the Westwood station.

[Jdawg8181]

Originally Posted by KarenBo

Valley Stream is a good station. They get two or three lines that stop there (Long Beach, Far Rockaway, and sometimes Babylon). Plus they redid the indoor waiting area and its clean and comfortable. I live in Lynbrook, and I think my commute is good. In nice weather I can walk to either the Lynbrook station or the Westwood station.

I don't think Far Rockaway line stops there.