New Seating at Grand Central Madison

Passengers tied to Long Island can finally take a load off.

On Tuesday, the MTA announced the addition of 70 seats in the Long Island Railroad Mezzanine at Grand Central Madison, effectively doubling the station’s seating capacity.

The newly installed two-seat bench near 45th Street and 46th Avenue—available for LIRR customers within a 90-minute window—has brought the total number of seats to 106.

“They’re not perfect, but they’re quite comfortable,” said chiropractor Randy Jaffe from Long Island on Tuesday. He noted that calling the new bench “fantastic” felt appropriate.

“It’s really just standing,” he added.

Last October, the station had previously seen 28 seats added near 47th Avenue, while this month also marked the arrival of 14 seats on 45th Avenue and another 28 on 46th Avenue, according to the MTA.

This seating expansion comes as the station recorded an impressive 1.72 million riders and an 89% return to pre-pandemic levels during the week of July 23. LIRR President Rob Free mentioned this surge at a news conference, citing considerable customer feedback.

“Improving the customer experience is one of our biggest goals,” Free stated.

Clearly, some riders are already enjoying the new seats, leading to even more calls for additional seating.

“I think they’re a welcome addition. There should be more,” said Liam Hossey, a student from Rockville Centre who had previously sat on the floor due to the lack of seats.

“It was quite a disappointment coming down here,” he added.

Jean Ryan, 56, expressed that there’s certainly more work to be done.

There were also concerns about whether seats would be occupied by homeless individuals. Ashley, a healthcare worker aged 30, mentioned the use of armrests or dividers that may prevent this issue. However, Vermont’s Chris Conway was hesitant to sit on a bench that looked less than pristine.

Despite some visible waste on the new seats, the MTA claims that satisfaction regarding the station’s cleanliness has improved slightly since a survey conducted in fall 2024.

“We want to ensure the station is clean and bright, with clear signage and improved announcements so that patrons feel comfortable,” MTA Senior Advisor Shanifah Rieara explained.

Along with adding more seats, MTA officials are also aiming to draw more retailers to the terminal. The Trax restaurant is set to open at the end of the month, and Rieara mentioned that negotiations for additional leases are in progress.

“We hope Grand Central Madison turns into a lively terminal,” she concluded.