The commute between Brooklyn and Long Island is easy as pie. Not only is it a fairly simple drive, the public transportation options are numerous — hello, Long Island Railroad! Here are the best ways to get between Brooklyn and “The Island,” whether you are driving, hopping on a train, or using car sharing services.
Public transportation
The Long Island Railroad will solve all your transportation woes if you’re going from one place to the other. The service is fast, generally punctual, and it runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round. (There’s also significant off-peak, weekend, and holiday service.) There are three different branches of the LIRR that comprehensively cover most of Long Island, from the suburbs of Nassau County to the Hamptons. And a comprehensive connecting hub in Jamaica, Queens, makes for an easy transfer when you’re traveling from Brooklyn.
There are three LIRR stops in Brooklyn. If you’re coming from Long Island, the first is East New York (at Atlantic Avenue and Havens Place), the second at Nostrand Avenue (Atlantic and Nostrand) and the final stop is at Atlantic Terminal (Atlantic and Flatbush). From Nostrand Avenue, you can connect to the A/C subway lines. From Atlantic Terminal, you can connect to the 2/3, 4/5, B/D, and N/Q/R lines, which will take you to most places in the city. The Atlantic Terminal station has an exit for Barclays Center and is walking distance from the Brooklyn Academy of Music. For schedules and fares, check the LIRR website, or to search for train schedules on your phone, check out this free TrainTime app.
Photo courtesy of Benjamin Kabak via Flickr.
Hampton Jitney bus | nycbusfan via Bus Talk
By bus
If you are traveling to the Hamptons, the Hampton Jitney bus is another popular form of public transportation. Certain buses pick up in Park Slope, Brooklyn Heights, and Boerum Hill and stop at a number of different beach towns in Long Island. Check the Jitney’s website for more details on the Brooklyn stops.
Driving
Long Island is big, so your driving time to Brooklyn will range anywhere from 40 minutes to several hours. From Nassau County, located right in the middle of the island, it’ll take about one hour to get to the Barclays Center.
Generally, the fastest routes in and out of Brooklyn are going to involve the highways that run around its perimeter. The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (I-278), runs along Brooklyn’s western edge, and the Belt Parkway along its southern edge. These connect to the Long Island Expressway, for the northern half of Long Island, and the Southern State Parkway and Sunrise Highway, for the southern half.
Car service
It’s possible to take a private car service between the two places, but it won’t be cheap. Eastern Car Service will pick you up in Brooklyn and take you to a number of locations around Long Island, but their rates range from $65 to $240 (to go all the way out to East Hampton).
The car service Uber quotes a fare between $59 to $171 to get from the Barclays Center to Nassau County.