Train connections to Belmont Park for Sunday
 

Thinking about taking the train down to Belmont for the race on Sunday. Trying to find the best direct way to make it there without too many switch overs. I'm going to call the local Amtrak stations to see what time they leave for NY, but trick is getting the right train for the island. Any help would be appreciated.

Amtrak to NYPS, LIRR to Belmont is the only way I believe.

Hoff, that is correct, you need to go into Penn Station and get a LIRR train to Belmont from Penn Station, it is a direct train which I believe only stops at Jamaica. Go to http://mta.info/lirr/ for the schedules.

Definately check the schedules - last time I tried to take the LIRR from Jamaica to Belmont, the trains were few and far between (like 45 minutes - 1 hour apart)...Wound up taking a cab (replete with a scintillating tour of Hollis, Queens) from Jamaica to BEL

Yeah, there are usually two or three, once every hour in the late morning or early afternoon and then no more after that.

The cheapest way is to drive to Poughkeepsie, take Metro North to Grand Central, metro over to Penn Station, and then LIRR to Belmont.

There are two trains only to Belmont.

You can take the train to Queens Village and walk or just get a car service, which is right across the street from the station, which costs under $10.

The train ticket is also cheaper round trip ($5) to Queens Village than it is to Belmont ($11), so that helps balance out the car service. Plus the walk isn't that far.

It's $5 or $5.25 each way from Penn Station to Queens Villiage off-peak....though you can use the City Ticket on weekends which is $3.25 though I'm not certain the City Ticket isn't just a summer thing.

http://mta.info/mta/cityticket.htm

Didn't see anything about it being a summer only thing.

Thanks for all the info & help....but even though, I hate driving in city traffic....decided to drive down.
It's too early to leave from Fonda to get the train from Poughkeepsie. Hopefully, I don't get lost! :eek:

I assume you know the best way to drive?

I would take 87 to the Pallisades, to the GW Bridge, to the Cross Bronx, to the Throgs Neck Bridge, to the Cross Island, and get off at Exit 26 ( which is Belmont ).

Got these from Yahoo....look right?

Take exit #13S/PALISADES PKWY SOUTH/NEW JERSEY onto PALISADES INTERSTATE PKY S - go 18.6 mi

Take the HUDSON TER. exit onto I-95 N toward GW BRIDGE (Toll applies) - go 7.5 mi

Take Right fork onto I-295 S toward THROGS NECK BR (Portions toll) - go 4.4 mi

Take exit #8/CROSS IS PKWY SOUTH onto CROSS ISLAND PKY S (Toll applies) - go 7.6 mi

Take exit #26B/HEMPSTEAD AVE EAST/BELMONT RACETRACK onto HEMPSTEAD TPKE(RT-24) - go 0.6 mi

Arrive at 2150 HEMPSTEAD TPKE, ELMONT, on the Left BELMONT PARK

You might want to avoid the Hempstead Parkway confusion and take the first Belmont exit ( I think it's 26D ). But, otherwise you've got it.

Going home I would go another way.....else you'll be stuck for an hour on the Cross Bronx.