The Long Island Rail Road launched its Fore Train on Friday morning.

With the 126th U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club set to tee off next week — and South Fork traffic expected to be its own championship-level hazard — LIRR President Robert Free boarded the Montauk Branch in Hampton Bays, trophy in hand, and rode one stop east to a temporary station built on-site at Shinnecock Hills.

When the train pulled in, Mr. Free stepped onto the platform and touted public transportation as the best option for those looking to avoid the traffic nightmare.

“If you plan on attending this event, the best way to take is the Long Island Railroad,” Mr. Free told the small pack of media members who trudged nearly one mile from a designated parking lot. “You’re not standing still; you’re more limited on the roadways.”

Whether golf fans take planes, trains or automobiles, or even boats, there will be a logjam around Shinnecock Hills. Some 40,000 people are expected when the championship gets into full swing Thursday.

The planning effort for the temporary train station took roughly two years to finalize and implement.

Eric Steimer, USGA senior director for U.S. Open Championships, said the railroad has doubled the number of trains able to take fans to the temporary station since the last tournament there in 2018. He said the platform can also accommodate two more cars, expanding capacity from 10 cars to 12.

Nearly 170 trains will stop at the station over the course of the week, and more will be available if needed.

“This station, in 2018, saw north of 77,000 people take the train to the championship,” Mr. Steimer said. “Anyone that took the train in 2018, we encourage you to take the train again in 2026.”

Right next to the station is another temporary structure: a pedestrian bridge crossing Tuckahoe Road that will take fans from the platform to the championship grounds.

Mr. Free noted that LIRR won’t jack up prices — a veiled shot at the gouging NJTransit has been accused for ferrying World Cup fans to MetLIfe Stadium in New Jersey.

“We want to get people off the roads,” he said. “We want people to use our service, so they have a great experience when they attend the event.”

Those not taking the train can either drive on traffic-choked single lane roads — probably slowly — or try another mode of transport.

Peconic Bay Sunset Cruises, for example, will offer a “water taxi” for ticket holders out of Broadwaters Cove in Cutchogue.

Shelter Island’s Pridwin Hotel is also offering a “water taxi” option.

“It’s a challenge to get out to the Hamptons on an everyday basis, whether the U.S. Open is here or not,” Mr. Steimer said.

Shari Hill, of Westhampton, took a trip out to the grounds on Friday to get some gear from the merchandise pavilion. She attended the U.S. Open the last time it was at Shinnecock in 2018, taking a public transit bus to get there.

She suffered through terrible traffic and decided she wasn’t doing that again.

“I’ve already seen how nice it’s going to look and how easy it is to get on and off,” she said of the train. “I’ve also driven out here — like I did today — and I know the traffic is going to be unbelievable.”

The post LIRR toots public transit to U.S. Open as traffic headaches loom appeared first on The Suffolk Times.

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