Governor Hochul Launches Customer Survey to Shape Project to Reimagine Jamaica Station

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the launch of customer engagement for the project to reimagine Jamaica Station in Queens. This customer survey will be used to guide planning for the much-needed redesign of this critical transportation hub that serves 200,000 daily riders on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), AirTrain JFK and New York City subways and buses. Recognizing the need for a redesign of Jamaica Station, the Governor's Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2027 includes $50 million to fund planning for the project, which will be conducted jointly by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

"Jamaica Station is a critical hub for hundreds of thousands of riders each day, from Long Island Rail Road commuters, to residents of Southeast Queens, to air travelers from around the globe - these riders deserve a world-class transit experience," Governor Hochul said. "We know that Jamaica Station can be so much more than it is today, and by advancing this customer survey, we'll have the insights of the riders who use it to help guide a long overdue redesign that transforms the customer experience and delivers Southeast Queens an integrated, best-in-class station for all who use it."

Jamaica Station is integral to the commutes of millions of New Yorkers, enabling workers and students in Queens to get to school and jobs, allowing travelers to get to and from Long Island, ensuring travelers from around the world can efficiently and affordably get to JFK Airport, and connecting New Yorkers to world-class sporting and entertainment events. More than 1,000 subways and LIRR trains pass through Jamaica Station every weekday with 200,000 passengers relying on them for transit, making it the fourth busiest commuter rail station in North America - surpassed only by Grand Central, Penn Station and Toronto's Union Station. Yet Jamaica Station has been left far behind in terms of customer experience and investment; it was last upgraded 23 years ago, when the AirTrain JFK began operation in 2003.

In recent years, Jamaica Station has seen a significant increase in LIRR service following the opening of Grand Central Madison and completion of the Main Line's new third track. Today, 790 trains stop at Jamaica, an increase of 54 percent over the 481 that stopped there before Grand Central Madison opened. The MTA has also made major improvements to service quality at Jamaica by using more sophisticated monitoring of on-time performance to manage train connections at the station. The benefits for customers who rely on transfers to complete their journeys has fueled a 17-point improvement in customer satisfaction with transfers at Jamaica.

To modernize Jamaica Station into the world-class station experience commuters deserve it to be, Governor Hochul is taking the next step to design a reimagined Jamaica Station. The reimagined Jamaica Station will help create better traffic flow, reduce crowding, and build out a world class station complex providing seamless connection between the LIRR Main Line, NYC Transit, and AirTrain JFK for the millions of commuters and airline passengers who depend on it.

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Executive Director Kathryn Garcia said, "Under Governor Hochul's leadership, we're not just transforming JFK's terminals and roadways - we're taking a hard look at how people actually move to and around the airport every day, including at critical hubs like Jamaica Station. That means listening to riders and airport workers and using their feedback to shape the future of AirTrain JFK. We're committed to delivering a public transit experience that is as world-class as the new airport itself."

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, "It's a no-brainer to get rider feedback before embarking on a major redesign. Their lived experience can tell us what works and what is needed for travel through Jamaica Station. We're excited to get started and we appreciate Governor Hochul's support for yet another high-impact transit project."

The customer survey will begin today, April 10, 2026 and run through May 8, 2026. A QR code directing customers to the online survey will be posted throughout the station and information tables will be staffed from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the following locations. Dates are subject to change due to operational requirements

• April 20 and April 22, 2026: Eastern Mezzanine (walkway where LIRR customers transfer between tracks).
• April 24, 2026: AirTrain (Post-Fare Gate) at Jamaica Station.
• April 28, 2026: MTA Customer Service Center within Sutphin Archer Subway Station.
• May 1, 2026: Sutphin Archer Street level (at the station entrance - in front of Tim Horton's).

The Jamaica Station survey is aimed at travelers, visitors, JFK Airport employees, and commuters using the station for non-airport related travel. The survey will focus on ticketing, wayfinding, transfer experience between agencies, and concessions.​ It will help to identify key deficiencies in the customer experience at Jamaica Station as well as how to best direct the AirTrain Redevelopment Program.

Concurrently, the MTA is separately conducting its biannual "MTA Customers Count" systemwide survey, which includes several questions specific to Jamaica Station. Results of that survey will also inform the planning process.

Contact the Governor's Press Office