Times Square is the epicenter of one of the most famous New Year’s Eve celebrations worldwide. But, how did it become the location for this beloved tradition? NBC New York’s Jennifer Vázquez reports.
New York City officials are encouraging New Year's Eve revelers to use public transportation to get into and out of Manhattan on Sunday night.
A number of streets in the area of Times Square will be closed starting early Sunday.
It's important to note many of the trains will be running on weekend or special schedules.
Here's a look at what passengers can expect Sunday and Monday according to each system's website:
NYC Subways
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) said subways in NYC will run on a standard Sunday schedule for Dec. 31 (which is a Sunday) and Monday, Jan. 1. There will be a few notable changes at stations along lines that stop near Times Square. Between 11:45 p.m. on Dec. 31 and 12:15 a.m. on Jan. 1, uptown 1 trains will skip the 50th Street station, while all N/Q/R trains will skip the 49th Street station.
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Exits to the street level at the Times Square-42nd Street station will be subject to NYPD closures on New Year's Eve. There will be additional service on all numbered lines, as well as on the C/D/L/N/Q/R and Times Square-Grand Central Shuttle train, on New Year's Eve.
Local
NYC Buses
Buses in the city will run on a Sunday schedule for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, with routes in and around midtown Manhattan subject to detours die to road closures.
NJ TRANSIT
NJ TRANSIT will be operating on a regular weekend service on the rail lines on Dec. 31. Meadowlands service will be available for the Giants-Rams game at MetLife. Extra service will be added for New York/Hoboken during the evening.
Bus lines will largely be running on a Saturday or Sunday schedule with additional service on select routes between midnight and 6 a.m.
On Jan. 1, extra service from Penn Station New York and Hoboken will be added. Some regular trains between midnight at 1:30 a.m. will be canceled with regular weekend service beginning at 6 a.m.
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Long Island Rail Road / LIRR service
The LIRR will be running on a weekend schedule Sunday, Dec. 31 and Monday, Jan. 1.
On Dec. 31, extra trains will run in the evening to Manhattan on the Babylon, Montauk, Port Jefferson, Port Washington, and Ronkonkoma lines.
Leaving Manhattan on New Year's Day from midnight to 4 a.m., extra trains will run the Babylon, Long Beach, Montauk, Port Jefferson, Port Washington, and Ronkonkoma branches.
Extra trains will also leave the Elmont-UBS Arena stop after the Billy Joel concert going to Jamaica, Huntington, and Ronkonoma.
Metro-North Railroad
Metro-North Railroad will be running a Sunday schedule on Dec. 31 on the Hudson, Harlem, and New Haven lines with an extra evening train to Grand Central on the Harlem and New Haven Lines.
The Port Jervis line will run on a weekend schedule with an addition train leaving Port Jervis at 4:05 p.m.
The Pascack Valley Line will run on a weekend schedule.
Grand Central Terminal will be open all night with outbound service and some extra inbound trains.
Starting at 5:30 a.m., trains will operate on a special schedule with hourly service at most stations.
PATH trains
On New Year's Eve, PATH will offer extra service from 8 p.m. New Year's Eve until 4:30 a.m. on New Year's Day.
PATH trains will operate on a Saturday schedule on New Year's Day Monday.
Regular closures at the 9th Street and 23rd Street stations will be suspended.
Passengers traveling through World Trade Center should note that the Oculus access is limited from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.
PATH bus service
PATH is encouraging passengers to show updated travel times with the individual bus carriers since some may operate on holiday schedules
