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A train shutdown starts in the Rockaways. Here's what riders need to know.

Rockaways subway shutdown in Queens begins
Rockaways subway shutdown in Queens begins 02:22

NEW YORK -- The A train shutdown in the Rockaways has begun, impacting more than 9,000 daily riders in Queens. 

As of 11:30 p.m. Friday, the A train and Rockaway Park Shuttle are suspended to the Rockaway Peninsula, and riders must take a free shuttle buses instead.

A trains are not be running between Howard Beach-JFK Airport and Far Rockaway-Mott Avenue or Rockaway Park-Beach 116 Street. Rockaway Park Shuttle trains are suspended to and from Broad Channel.  

The suspension comes with modifications in the first weekend, as the project ramps up. From 11:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17 to 5 a.m. Monday, Jan. 20, A Trains are not running between Inwood-207 Street and Ozone Park-Lefferts Boulevard or Howard Beach-JFK Airport. Rockaway Park Shuttle trains aren't running at all over the weekend.

The MTA is offering alternative transportation options during the construction. Free Rockaway Park Shuttle trains are running between Far Rockaway-Mott Avenue and Rockaway Park-Beach 116 Street, and free shuttle buses are running along two routes. 

The Long Island Rail Road's Far Rockaway Ticket is reduced to $2.75 each way, but regular fares still apply for the ferry and bus alternatives.    

Rockaways A train shutdown expected to last months

The MTA says emergency repairs were made to restore service in the months after Superstorm Sandy, but the viaducts and bridge that carry trains across Broad Channel need major upgrades. Officials say they are needed to protect the line from storms and ensure reliable service for more than 9,000 daily riders. 

The route is not only scenic, it also serves as a vital link between the Rockaway Peninsula and the rest of the city. 

Subway rider Brittany Brown starts her morning commute to her kids' school at the Far Rockaway-Mott Avenue station. As of Jan. 17, she will be relying on the bus, lengthening her trip from 10 minutes to 30. 

"It's very inconvenient, the buses, the traffic," she said. 

Others who rely on the line say they have been preparing for the months-long inconvenience.

"It takes me about an hour and a half to get to the city. It will take me about two hours," one rider said. 

"I feel like maybe they should have pushed it maybe into the summer, maybe the spring, instead of the winter, because now we're going to just be in the cold waiting," said another. 

The interruptions are expected to continue through May. 

Find more details from the MTA here.

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