New Metro-North President Vonashek Meets Riders During First Week of Service Enhancements

10 Minutes Shaved Off New Haven--Grand Central Trips Each Way

Justin Vonashek Assumes Role as Seventh President of the Railroad

See Video and Photos of Event

See Video and Photos of President Vonashek Greeting New Haven Line Customers

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Chair and CEO Janno Lieber today joined Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto at Grand Central Terminal to welcome Metro-North President Justin Vonashek after he greeted customers riding the newly announced super express trains operating on the New Haven Line during the morning rush. 

Vonashek kicked off his first day as president of the country's second largest commuter rail system by welcoming customers arriving at Grand Central on the 5:32 a.m. train from New Haven, which has an improved run time of 90 minutes and arrives at 7:02 a.m., 10 minutes earlier than previously scheduled. 

During his tenure, Vonashek will work to improve service for Metro-North riders by continuing to build on the progress already achieved since 2020 and by steadily bettering service and prioritizing operational excellence.

He’ll build on past achievements by continuing to focus on reliability, convenience, and growing ridership. Through updating signals, bringing in new locomotives and taking care of basics, Vonashek will further those gains into the coming years. And by bringing nine years of experience from his previous role at Metro-North as the Vice President of System Safety, Vonashek will also continue to focus on safety. 

"The new schedules are saving Metro-North New Haven Line riders time and money, and that extra time with family is priceless," said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. "If this is Day One of the Vonashek administration, I can’t wait to see what happens next week."

“Using comprehensive and thoughtful analysis combined with signal and infrastructure improvements we’ve made, Metro-North has created optimized train schedules that greatly improve our customers’ experience,” said Metro-North Railroad President Justin Vonashek. “Super Express travelers save as much as 25 minutes each way, 250 minutes each week, and more than nine full days annually to spend with their friends and family.” 

“When the New Haven Super Express trains launched in 2022 it delivered on a promise to improve speeds on the New Haven Line and provided the fastest trips between Connecticut and Grand Central Terminal in more than a decade," said CTDOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. "Today, thanks to our strong partnership with the MTA and Metro-North Railroad, and with the continued support of Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont and the state’s legislature, these trains are getting commuters to their destinations even quicker. The Connecticut Department of Transportation looks forward to continued successes as we work closely with Metro-North President Vonashek and MTA CEO Lieber.”

“On behalf of the Grand Central Partnership family, I’m really excited to celebrate not only the first day of new leadership at Metro-North, but to help kick off these new schedules that will enable so many commuters to access Grand Central and this neighborhood faster,” said Grand Central Partnership President and CEO Fred Cerullo. “People want safe, efficient and fast commuting options and we welcome that because it enables them to enjoy everything that this community has to offer.”

On Sunday, March 30, new Metro-North Railroad schedules began running, which now include the fastest Super Express train service available between New Haven, Bridgeport and Grand Central Terminal, part of an effort to streamline service along the New Haven Line and the railroad overall.  

Adjustments to dozens of other trains, along with the schedule optimization, resulted in clear paths for these New Haven Line Super Express trains to operate more efficiently.  

• The 5:06 a.m. train from New Haven to Grand Central Terminal will now depart 2 minutes later at 5:08 a.m., with an improved run time of 88 minutes.  

• The 5:32 a.m. train from New Haven to Grand Central Terminal will have an improved run time of 90 minutes and arrive at Grand Central Terminal at 7:02 a.m., 10 minutes earlier than previous scheduled.  

• The 7:52 a.m. train from New Haven to Grand Central Terminal will have an improved run time and arrive at Grand Central Terminal at 9:30 a.m., three minutes earlier than previously scheduled.  

• The 4:16 p.m. train from Grand Central Terminal to New Haven will depart five minutes earlier at 4:11 p.m., and arrives in New Haven at 5:41 p.m., 15 minutes earlier than previously scheduled. 

• The 4:49 p.m. train from Grand Central Terminal to New Haven will have an improved run time of 90 minutes, and arrive at New Haven Station at 6:19 p.m., six minutes earlier that previously scheduled.  

• The 6:26 p.m. train from Grand Central Terminal to New Haven will have an improved run time of 90 minutes, arriving at New Haven Station at 7:56 p.m., eight minutes earlier that previously scheduled. 

The Metro-North team used specialized train-simulation software and in-depth analyses of GPS and signal data to create new timetables that shave up to 10 minutes from some New Haven Line trains both into and out of New York. Improvements to Metro-North’s signaling infrastructure have allowed the railroad to increase train speeds and reduce the effect of speed restrictions along the New Haven line, resulting in improved run times for some trains.