Mets–Willets Point station (LIRR)
Mets–Willets Point is a station on the Long Island Rail Road's Port Washington Branch in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens, New York City. Prior to 2021, the station was normally open only during New York Mets home games, the U.S. Open tennis tournament, major events, and emergencies. The station has been served full-time since 2023.
Although Mets–Willets Point was originally not part of CityTicket, it was added to the CityTicket program in August 2011, and fares are collected before boarding during games and special events.
History
The station, which opened in time for the 1939 New York World's Fair, included a modernistic structure above the tracks that could accommodate up to 18,000 passengers per hour. Resembling an airplane hangar, it combined both Art Deco and Bauhaus features, and was also in close proximity to the Railroads on Parade exhibit.The inaugural run of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad's Silver Meteor began at this station on February 2, 1939, having been dedicated at the New York World's Fair. Future runs of the train began their trips at New York Penn Station.
Between 1946 and 1952, the station was known as United Nations Station. Flushing Meadows-Corona Park was the temporary site of the U.N. General Assembly, and had shuttle buses to their temporary headquarters in Lake Success at the time. Once the UN moved to its permanent home on the east side of Midtown-Manhattan, the station closed. However, it was reopened again with its original name on January 11, 1961, and the 1939 World's Fair ramp was expanded for the 1964 New York World's Fair to connect the Flushing Meadows–Corona Park to Shea Stadium, which opened that same year. After the World's Fair closed in 1965, the station was named for Shea Stadium in 1966.
When the Elmhurst station closed in 1985, Shea Stadium station became the westernmost station on the Port Washington Branch before merging with the LIRR Main Line at Winfield Junction. As of 2020, a portion of track from the Whitestone Branch, which diverged just east of the station, was still visible next to the westbound track.
Following the 2009 closure and demolition of Shea Stadium, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority renamed the station to Mets–Willets Point, matching the name of the adjoining subway station and omitting the corporate-sponsored name, Citi Field, associated with the current stadium. The MTA was unsuccessful in achieving a similar naming rights deal and would not post the name for free. Had the naming rights deal been achieved, the station would have been known as Citi Field.
Prior to 2021, the station would normally be open only during New York Mets home games at Citi Field, the U.S. Open tennis tournament at the USTA National Tennis Center, major events such as concerts, and during emergencies. In February 2021, the station began to be open full time and was served by all trains while Citi Field was being used as a COVID-19 vaccination site. Full-time service ended after the COVID-19 vaccination site closed. After receiving feedback from customers, the MTA decided to resume 24/7 service at the station in April 2023, with trains serving the station every 30 minutes in each direction.