Information
Landmark: Staten Island Railway (SIR)City: Staten Island
Country: USA New York
Continent: North America
Staten Island Railway (SIR), Staten Island, USA New York, North America
Overview
The Staten Island Railway is a one-of-a-kind piece of New York City’s transit system, steeped in history and echoing with the rumble of trains that have run for generations.It’s the main rapid transit line on Staten Island, running on its own tracks apart from the NYC Subway, yet still managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).The line runs 14 miles (22.5 km) from St. George Terminal in the north to Tottenville in the south, stopping at 21 stations along the way.New York City Transit operates it, while the Staten Island Rapid Transit Operating Authority-an MTA subsidiary-owns it.Trains glide over standard-gauge tracks powered by a 600-volt DC third rail.During rush hour, one arrives every 15 to 20 minutes; off-peak, it’s every half hour, and late at night or on weekends, service slows but never stops.You only pay your fare at St. George or Tompkinsville.Travel between the other stations is free-just an honor system, like slipping onto a quiet tram without anyone checking your ticket.It’s $2.90 with a MetroCard or OMNY, and you can hop onto a bus or subway for free afterward using the same card or tap.As of 2024, the sleek new R211S trains are rolling in to replace the worn, rattling R44 cars-the first big fleet refresh in half a century.The new cars come with wider doors for faster boarding, bright digital screens for updates, improved lighting and climate control, CCTV, better accessibility, and built-in connectivity-perfect for riding to the Staten Island Ferry, the main link to the rest of New York City.Ferries shuttle between St. George Terminal and Whitehall Terminal down in Lower Manhattan, their decks smelling faintly of salt and diesel.There’s no direct subway link-the SIR doesn’t connect to any other line-leaving Staten Island the only borough in New York City where you can’t just hop on the train and ride straight into the rest of the system.Still, the Staten Island Ferry offers a free ride straight to Manhattan, where you can step off and catch the 1, R, or 4/5 trains.Key stations along the route include St. George, a busy terminal where ferries dock under the salty air; Tompkinsville, a smaller stop handling extra fare collection; and Tottenville, the southern end with park‑and‑ride spaces.Some stations meet ADA standards-others don’t.The MTA is slowly making stations easier to navigate, adding ramps, clear signs, and lifts you can hear hum as they rise.Founded in 1860, the line once ran a North Shore branch where passenger trains rolled until 1953; today, only freight cars rumble along its tracks.The South Beach Branch was shut down in 1953, its tracks left to gather rust in the salt air.Work is still underway to bring the North Shore Branch back to life as either a light rail line or a bus rapid transit corridor, with plans sketched out and maps spread across conference tables.It used to be called Staten Island Rapid Transit, or SIRT, before the MTA gave it a new name.The R211S fleet rollout in 2024 marks a major modernization, swapping out the old R44 cars from the 1970s-cars with faded paint and worn seats-for sleek new trains.We expect to roll everything out by the end of 2024, with the final pieces clicking into place before the year closes.Signal upgrades: crews will swap out the old, buzzing signal boxes to keep trains running more reliably.Proposals include adding light rail to the North Shore Branch, improving how buses connect with trains, and making stations easier to navigate.One unusual twist: fares are collected at only two stops, where you might hear the soft beep of a card reader as passengers board.Intra-island travel costs nothing as long as you skip St. George or Tompkinsville, where the ferries hum with constant traffic.Although it’s run by the MTA, the Staten Island Railway operates on its own, feeling more like a commuter train-with long stretches between stops-than a typical subway.
