Metro North Shifts Toward Normal Schedule After COVID Restrictions End

As we continue a return to getting things back to near normal, Metro North has taken their first steps to getting trains back and running on pre COVID-19 schedules.

More and more people are returning to the office, and the amount of morning and afternoon commuters has increased, so Metro North will be adding train service to make the commutes a little less crowded.

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According to patch.com, the Railroad also announced new train timetables that are set to take effect on June 21.

Now in no way shape or form will Metro North be back to the schedules it was offering prior to the pandemic, but the rail service will bring service back to 67 percent of pre-pandemic levels. When the pandemic hit a year ago, Metro North cut back on their service reducing train service to 63 percent.

The new updated Metro North schedules will have 24 new peak trains added on its three lines east of the Hudson River.

Metro North officials are talking about an even larger increase in their rail service coming in late August that will get things back to close to 83 percent of the pre COVID levels during weekday commutes, and close to 70 percent of pre-pandemic levels on the weekends.

If you travel on the Metro North Harlem Line, there will be additional trains added to the schedule in both morning and afternoon peak periods, and four trains are being added between Southeast and Grand Central.

The main reason for the increase in service, according to the railroad's union, is that with more people returning to work in New York City and ridership increasing, the safety of riders and railroad employees was being threatened.

For all the new information, including the new updated schedules, you can visit the Metro North information site.