Penn Station to Rockaway Beach by LIRR, subway and bus
Quick answer: Take an LIRR train toward Long Beach from Penn Station to Jamaica, then take a Manhattan-bound J train from Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport to Woodhaven Blvd, then take the Q53 Select Bus Service bus from Woodhaven Blvd/Jamaica Av to Rockaway Beach Blvd/Beach 96 St. The trip takes about 88 minutes door to door on a weekday (82 to 91 depending on the connection). An LIRR train comes about every 6 minutes during the day. Every line on this trip runs all night.
Penn Station to Rockaway Beach
- LIRR
- J
- Q53 SBS
- LIRR LIRR trainFrom Penn Station toward Long Beach2 stops, about 20 min
- Change at JamaicaWalk about 6 min
- J J trainFrom Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport, Manhattan-bound4 stops, about 8 min
- Change at Woodhaven BlvdWalk about 4 min
- Q53 SBS Q53 Select Bus Service busFrom Woodhaven Blvd/Jamaica Av10 stops, about 27 min
- Get off at Rockaway Beach Blvd/Beach 96 St
- Rockaway Beach
Weekdays, fall 2026 MTA schedule · First and last trips
Step by step
- Take an LIRR train toward Long Beach from Penn Station to Jamaica. It's 2 stops, about 20 minutes.
- At Jamaica, walk about 6 minutes to Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport for the J train.
- Take a Manhattan-bound J train from Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport to Woodhaven Blvd. It's 4 stops, about 8 minutes.
- At Woodhaven Blvd, walk about 4 minutes to Woodhaven Blvd/Jamaica Av for the Q53 Select Bus Service bus.
- Take the Q53 Select Bus Service bus from Woodhaven Blvd/Jamaica Av to Rockaway Beach Blvd/Beach 96 St. It's 10 stops, about 27 minutes.
Times and frequency
From the MTA's fall 2026 schedule. Typical trip is the door to door time in the middle of the day.
| Day | First trip | Last trip | Typical trip | Q53 Select Bus Service bus in the daytime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekdays | Runs all night | 88 min | About every 10 minutes | |
| Saturday | Runs all night | 90 min | About every 12 minutes | |
| Sunday | Runs all night | 87 min | About every 12 minutes | |
Late at night
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 109 minutes, and the Q53 Select Bus Service bus comes about once an hour.
Tips for this trip
- Check the train's destination. Not every LIRR train at Penn Station goes to Jamaica. Trains to Port Washington or Great Neck don't. On a weekday 168 trains do; look for Jamaica on the board.
- Know your stop. Get ready after Cross Bay Blvd/W 17 Rd. The next stop is Rockaway Beach Blvd/Beach 96 St. Start a live trip in Cobblehop and it alerts you before your stop.
- By subway: the A train (or the A plus the shuttle) to the Rockaways. (source, checked 2026-11-04)
- Newark Penn Station is a different station, in Newark, New Jersey. (source, checked 2026-11-04)
- Moynihan Train Hall, across the street, serves LIRR and Amtrak riders too. (source, checked 2026-11-04)
Step-free access
For the subway part of this trip: Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport (J platform) is on the MTA's list of accessible stations; Woodhaven Blvd (J platform) is on the MTA's list of accessible stations. Elevators can be out of service, so check elevator status on mta.info before you go.
What it costs
- Subway and local bus: $3 per ride with OMNY (tap a contactless card or phone) or a MetroCard. One transfer within 2 hours to the subway or a local bus is included.
- LIRR inside New York City (CityTicket): $5.25 off-peak, $7.25 peak. Buy it in the MTA TrainTime app or at a station ticket machine before you board. It doesn't include a subway or bus transfer.
Fares as of November 2026. Check the official fares page before you ride.
Penn Station to Rockaway Beach: common questions
How do I get from Penn Station to Rockaway Beach by public transit?
Take an LIRR train toward Long Beach from Penn Station to Jamaica, then take a Manhattan-bound J train from Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport to Woodhaven Blvd, then take the Q53 Select Bus Service bus from Woodhaven Blvd/Jamaica Av to Rockaway Beach Blvd/Beach 96 St.
How long does it take?
About 88 minutes door to door on a weekday, 82 to 91 depending on the connection. On weekends it's about 90 minutes.
Do I have to change along the way?
Yes, 2 times: at Jamaica and Woodhaven Blvd.
Does it run all night?
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 109 minutes, and the Q53 Select Bus Service bus comes about once an hour.
How much does it cost?
Subway and local bus: $3 per ride with OMNY (tap a contactless card or phone) or a MetroCard. One transfer within 2 hours to the subway or a local bus is included. LIRR inside New York City (CityTicket): $5.25 off-peak, $7.25 peak. Buy it in the MTA TrainTime app or at a station ticket machine before you board. It doesn't include a subway or bus transfer.
Related routes
- Penn Station to Rockefeller Center
- Penn Station to 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- Penn Station to Statue of Liberty ferry at Battery Park
- Times Square to Rockaway Beach
- Williamsburg to Rockaway Beach
- Grand Central Terminal to Rockaway Beach
- All New York routes
Sources
Cobblehop is independent. It is not affiliated with the MTA or any transit agency. Schedules on this page come from the MTA's public GTFS data; check these pages for the latest service:
- MTA: developer data (the GTFS schedules used on this page)
- MTA: subway and bus fares
- MTA: LIRR and Metro-North fares
- MTA subway stations, with accessibility (data.ny.gov)
- Rockaway Beach: visitor information
- Penn Station: visitor information
- Penn Station: visitor information
Transit data: Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Cobblehop is not affiliated with or endorsed by the MTA.
Published November 7, 2026. Times were computed from the MTA fall 2026 schedules for 2026-11-18 (weekday), 2026-11-21 and 2026-11-22. Planned work and holidays change service, so check Cobblehop for live times before you go.
Leaving now? Cobblehop gives you one clear plan with live times and alerts you before your stop.