Commuters taking the Long Island Rail Road from Brooklyn and Queens have something to cheer about: Fare decreases that began Wednesday.



The "Atlantic Ticket" discount will impact those who travel from Brooklyn to stations in Queens Village, Hollis, St. Albans, Rosedale, Laurelton, Locust Manor, Jamaica, East New York, and Nostrand Avenue.

How much do the discounted fares cost?



A peak, one-way ticket between those nine stations and the terminal will cost $5, down from $10.25.

A seven-day combined railroad and subway pass will cost $60, down from $104.25.

Where can commuters get the tickets?



The new tickets can be purchased only at vending machines or ticket windows — not on trains or with the MTA's E-ticket app.

The "Atlantic Ticket" is also good only for travel between the nine stations, seen below, and Atlantic Terminal, where riders can connect to several subway lines.

"It's a good idea, I'm not saying it's not a good idea," one commuter said. "But they have to consider Penn Station."

How long will the discounted fares last?

They are part of the pilot program, which will last six months to a year. After that, the MTA will decide whether to extend it on the Long Island Rail Road, as well as to its other commuter rail road, Metro-North.

Why has the program been rolled out?



The pilot program is designed to make travel faster and more affordable in the city's so-called mass transit deserts, and it's also meant to boost ridership at LIRR stations that are not heavily used.

"This is going to serve communities that don't have access to subways, that have really long commute times and really expensive commuter rail fares," said Andrew Albert, the chairman of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA.