Ticket Machines

Buy tickets before boarding the train to save money. It's easy - just touch the screen to begin your transaction.

The LIRR has three types of ticket machines (see Station Information for machine types and location at your station):

1. GRAY Full-Service "Tickets" machines offer:

• \Most LIRR ticket types (see Ticket Type Availability)
• MetroCard options including:

  - Separate $20 MetroCard
  - $4.50 MetroCard option with Round Trip rail tickets
  - $45 MetroCard option with Monthly rail tickets

2. RED "Daily Tickets" machines offer:

• One Way & Round Trip ticket types\
• Separate $20 MetroCard'

Both of these machine types accept:

• Cash
  - Bills: $50, $20, $10, $5, and $1 bills
  - Coin: quarters, dimes, nickels and dollar coins
  - Change: returns up to $17.75 in coin change
  
• Credit or ATM/Debit Cards including MasterCard, VISA, American Express, Discover and all bank cards

 

3. BLUE "Tickets - Credit/Debit, ATM Cards Only " machines offer exactly the same ticket types as
gray machines however these machines do not accept CASH.

 

 

 

4. AirTrain "Tickets - Credit/Debit, ATM Cards Only " machines offer exactly the same ticket types as
gray machines however these machines do not accept CASH.

 

 

 

 

Helpful Hints - see Ticket Information for details on all LIRR ticket types and Peak/Off-Peak definitions.

• Select ticket type first. You will be asked how you would like to pay at the end of your transaction, but you should have your card/cash available.
• A green "Go Back" button and a red "Cancel" button is available at the lower right of each screen; transactions can be cancelled anytime before payment is made.
• From/To Station buttons are available from your current station or other stations using an alphabet screen. If the letter of the alphabet you are looking for does not appear, check the actual station name (i.e. our terminal in Brooklyn is "Atlantic Terminal"). Otherwise the ticket type selected may not be available from/to the stations you are looking for (CityTicket, Getaways or Packages).
• Via Fares - Some station combinations are not direct routes and require a change of branches. These tickets are sold "via" another station.  You may be offered a choice if more than one option exists. Please check your train schedule to verify which option works at the time you are traveling.
• Families can buy Adult and Child (ages 5-11) tickets together in one transaction. If off-peak is selected, family fare tickets are dispensed for children.
• When asked "How many tickets?" you must select a number button, then press the flashing yellow "Continue" button.
• When asked "Add Options?" select "None" unless you would like to add a MetroCard and/or UniTicket.
  Please wait for all your tickets & receipt. A light remains on while tickets are printing. A receipt is automatically provided for all credit/debit/ATM card transactions. Cash customers are asked if they would like a receipt at the end of the transaction.
• Help messages are offered on some screens at the lower left.
• Select "Buy More Tickets" at the payment screen to add more ticket types to the same transaction (i.e. add Seniors to a family transaction).  This feature is only offered once per transaction.

Special Features - available on all machines

• Languages
  Select your foreign language choice on the bottom of the first screen. Spanish is available on all machines. Two other languages are also available based on census data for the station location: Italian, German, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Hebrew or Japanese.
  
  
• Audio
  Available for the visually impaired, in English only. A speaker is provided on the machine or you can plug in your own headset. The middle button on the keypad (number "5" marked with raised star starts the audio). Canceling the transaction ends the audio.

Ticket Type Availability
Customers can purchase tickets at machines From/To all LIRR stations, at any location, with just a few exceptions.

• Monthly tickets are available starting the 20th of the previous month. For example: on May 20th you can buy June’s ticket.
• Weekly tickets, good from Saturday to Friday, are available for sale on Wednesdays for the next week.
• Senior or Disabled tickets are available through "One Way" or "Round Trip" Buttons, or by selecting "All Other Tickets".
• Getaways & Packages are available from gray or blue machines. Use this button on the first screen for Belmont Park, Beach Packages, Long Island One Day Getaways, New York City Getaways and other packages. Some items are seasonal.
• Mets-Willets Point tickets are available from all machines. Select "One Way" or "Round Trip" buttons. Mets-Willets Point is listed under station choices; service is available seasonally only.
  
• Meadowlands tickets are available from all machines, but not from/to the following stations: Penn, Atlantic Terminal, Nostrand Ave, East New York, Long Island City or Hunterspoint Avenue. Select "One Way," "Round Trip," or Ten Trip (Off Peak or Senior) buttons. Meadowlands is listed under station choices; service is available seasonally for Football games only.
• CityTicket is available for same day travel, weekends only, from valid stations in Zones 1-3 only (not valid from/to Shea Stadium). A CityTicket button will be available on first screen, or tickets can be purchased using the "One Way" or "Round Trip" button for valid from/to stations only. When selecting "Round Trip" two one-way tickets will be dispensed.
  
  Not Available at Ticket Machines:
• Monthly School tickets are sold at LIRR ticket offices with completed applications only.
• Reservations are required for Group Travel and Hamptons Reserve.

See Ticket Information for details on all LIRR ticket types.

Ticket Machine Assistance
Call toll free: 1- 877- LIRR TSM if you have any questions, comments or problems. Be sure to provide the machine ID number, located on the front of the machine below the touch-screen.