On Thanksgiving day last year, over 30,000 customers departed Grand Central between 10 am and 2 pm as they headed home from the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.  Metro North spokeswoman Meredith Daniels says Wednesday is traditionally the busy day of the year for the railroad.

When there are large crowds of train riders, Metro North has gate collection for tickets.  Thanksgiving Day is one of those times where customers at Grand Central Terminal will have to show a Metro North ticket before boarding the train. 

On Friday, Metro-North will operate on a Saturday schedule with additional inbound service in the morning and outbound service in the afternoon to accommodate the Friday workforce and Black Friday shoppers.  Metro-North will round out the holiday weekend schedule with extra trains and additional cars on existing trains Saturday and Sunday.

The ticket can be used by more than one person, even when you are traveling together. The Family Fare costs $1 per ticket for up to four children (ages 5 to 11) when they are traveling with a fare-paying adult. 

On Wednesday, November 25, extra service includes three additional trains on the Harlem Line between 2:18 pm and 3:34 pm, five extra trains on the Hudson Line between 1:38 p.m. and 4:11 pm, and ten extra trains on the New Haven Line between 12:58 pm and 4:00 pm.

Thanksgiving Day, Metro-North will provide additional inbound morning service for customers heading to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which kicks off at 9:00 a.m. at 81st Street and Central Park West and ends in front of Macy’s at Herald Square (34th Street). There is also expanded outbound service starting in the late morning and continuing through mid-afternoon.  There will be extra trains in the evening for customers returning to New York City after their Thanksgiving dinners.

Metro-North will round out the holiday weekend schedule with extra trains and additional cars on existing trains Saturday and Sunday.