New York City Subway
The only major metro in the world that never closes - running through the night, every night, since 1904.
The New York City Subway has run 24 hours a day, seven days a week since 1904 - a fact that still sets it apart from almost every other metro in the world. It serves 472 stations across 27 lines in all five boroughs, covering 245 miles of track. Around 3.6 million rides are taken on a typical weekday, making it one of the busiest transit systems in the Western hemisphere.
Metro Lines
23 lines1 Train
38 stations · 51 km
2 Train
52 stations · 57.5 km
3 Train
35 stations · 43.9 km
4 Train
37 stations · 43.3 km
5 Train
41 stations · 42.2 km
6 Train
38 stations · 31.1 km
7 Train
22 stations · 17.3 km
A Train
44 stations · 50.4 km
B Train
34 stations · 37.2 km
C Train
39 stations · 31.4 km
D Train
39 stations · 42.4 km
E Train
27 stations · 29 km
F Train
45 stations · 45.5 km
G Train
19 stations · 16 km
J Train
30 stations · 21 km
L Train
24 stations · 13.8 km
M Train
32 stations · 26.9 km
N Train
38 stations · 30.9 km
Q Train
31 stations · 27.5 km
R Train
46 stations · 30.6 km
W Train
24 stations · 13.5 km
Z Train
30 stations · 21 km
S Shuttle
3 stations · 0.9 km
Stations
View allTimes Square - 42nd St
Grand Central - 42nd St
34th St - Penn Station
14th St - Union Square
Fulton Street
Wall Street
Brooklyn Bridge - City Hall
World Trade Center
47-50 Sts - Rockefeller Center
59th St - Columbus Circle
86th Street (Lexington)
5th Ave - 53rd St
81st St - Museum of Natural History
125th Street
Atlantic Ave - Barclays Center
Bedford Avenue
161st St - Yankee Stadium
Coney Island - Stillwell Ave
JFK Airport (Howard Beach)
Bleecker Street
Canal Street
Chambers Street
14th Street–8th Avenue
Christopher Street–Sheridan Square
Hoyt–Schermerhorn Streets
Court Square–23rd Street
Astoria–Ditmars Boulevard
Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue
Flushing–Main Street
DeKalb Avenue
Borough Hall
Nostrand Avenue
Beach 116th Street
Forest Hills–71st Avenue
Cathedral Parkway–110th Street
103rd Street-Corona Plaza
103rd Street
103rd Street
103rd Street
Cathedral Parkway-110th Street
110th Street
111th Street
116th Street
116th Street-Columbia University
116th Street
125th Street
125th Street
125th Street
135th Street
137th Street-City College
145th Street
145th Street
14th Street
14th Street
155th Street
157th Street
163rd Street-Amsterdam Ave
168th Street
168th Street
169th Street
175th Street
181st Street
181st Street
18th Street
190th Street
191st Street
207th Street
215th Street
21st Street
231st Street
238th Street
23rd Street
23rd Street
23rd Street
23rd Street
23rd Street
28th Street
28th Street
28th Street
33rd Street-Rawson Street
33rd Street
34th Street-Herald Square
36th Street
40th Street-Lowery Street
42nd Street-Bryant Park
42nd Street-Port Authority
46th Street-Bliss Street
46th Street
49th Street
50th Street
50th Street
51st Street
52nd Street
57th Street-7th Ave
57th Street-7th Ave
Lexington Ave-59th Street
59th Street
Fifth Avenue-59th Street
Fifth Avenue
61st Street-Woodside
63rd Drive-Rego Park
65th Street
66th Street-Lincoln Center
67th Avenue
68th Street-Hunter College
69th Street
6th Avenue
72nd Street
72nd Street
75th Avenue
77th Street
79th Street
7th Ave-53rd Street
86th Street
86th Street
86th Street
8th Avenue
8th Street-NYU
90th Street-Elmhurst Ave
96th Street
96th Street
96th Street
Astor Place
Atlantic Avenue
Bedford-Nostrand Avenues
Bergen Street
Bergen Street
Bowery
Bowling Green
Briarwood-Van Wyck Blvd
Broad Street
Broadway
Broadway Junction
Broadway-Lafayette Street
Bushwick Ave-Aberdeen Street
Canal Street
Canal Street
Canal Street
Canal Street
Canal Street
Canarsie-Rockaway Parkway
Chambers Street
Chambers Street
Chambers Street
City Hall
Clark Street
Classon Avenue
Clinton-Washington Avenues
Cortlandt Street
Crown Heights-Utica Avenue
DeKalb Avenue
Delancey Street
Dyckman Street
Dyckman Street
East 105th Street
East Broadway
Eastern Pkwy-Brooklyn Museum
Elmhurst Avenue
First Avenue
Flushing Avenue
Flushing Avenue
Franklin Avenue
Franklin Street
Fulton Street
Gates Avenue
Gates Avenue
Graham Avenue
Grand Army Plaza
Grand Avenue-Newtown
Grand Street
Grand Street
Greenpoint Avenue
Halsey Street
Halsey Street
Hewes Street
High Street
Houston Street
Hoyt Street
Hunters Point Avenue
Inwood-207th Street
Jamaica-179th Street
Jay Street-MetroTech
Jefferson Street
Junction Boulevard
Kew Gardens-Union Turnpike
Kingston Avenue
Kingston-Throop Avenues
Kosciuszko Street
Lexington Ave-53rd Street
Livonia Avenue
Lorimer Street
Lorimer Street
Marble Hill-225th Street
Marcy Avenue
Metropolitan Avenue
Mets-Willets Point
Montrose Avenue
Morgan Avenue
Myrtle Avenue
Myrtle-Willoughby Avenues
Myrtle-Wyckoff Avenues
Nassau Avenue
Nevins Street
New Lots Avenue
Northern Boulevard
Nostrand Avenue
Park Place
Parsons Boulevard
Prince Street
Queens Plaza
Queensboro Plaza
Ralph Avenue
Rector Street
Rector Street
Rockaway Avenue
Second Avenue
South Ferry
Spring Street
Spring Street
Steinway Street
Sutphin Boulevard-Jamaica
Sutter Avenue
Third Avenue
Utica Avenue
Van Cortlandt Park-242nd Street
Vernon Blvd-Jackson Ave
Wall Street
Wall Street
West Fourth Street-Washington Square
Whitehall Street-South Ferry
Wilson Avenue
Woodhaven Boulevard
WTC Cortlandt
York Street
Fare Guide
How to Use the New York Metro
- 1
The easiest way to pay is OMNY - tap your contactless bank card, Apple Pay or Google Pay directly on the orange OMNY reader at the turnstile. No registration needed, no card to buy. Your fare is charged instantly.
- 2
If you prefer a card, get a MetroCard from a vending machine inside any station. Load a fixed amount (pay-per-ride) or buy a 7-day unlimited pass. The 7-day pass is good value if you are staying a week and will take more than 11 trips.
- 3
Every trip costs $2.90, no matter how far you go or how many times you transfer. Free transfers between subway lines are allowed within 2 hours using OMNY.
- 4
Lines are identified by letter or number and travel colour-coded corridors. The key distinction to understand is Express vs Local. Express trains (solid circle on the map) skip many stops; Local trains (hollow circle) stop everywhere. Both run on the same tracks, so check the front of the train before boarding.
- 5
Uptown means north, toward higher-numbered streets. Downtown means south. Knowing this one rule removes most of the confusion about direction.
- 6
Download the official MTA app or Citymapper before you travel. Service alerts, delays and reroutes are common - particularly on weekends when maintenance work redirects or replaces lines.
Travel Tips for New York
- Weekend service is frequently disrupted. Lines get rerouted, stops get skipped and buses replace trains on certain stretches - every weekend. Always check the MTA website or app on Friday evening for weekend advisories.
- OMNY now offers a weekly cap: after 12 rides in a Monday-to-Sunday week, all further rides are free, automatically. You get the equivalent of the 7-day unlimited pass without buying one.
- Keep a hand on your bag in busy stations like Times Square, Grand Central and Union Square. Pick-pocketing happens, mainly in crowded carriages and on packed platforms.
- The A train is the quickest way to get to JFK: take it to Howard Beach, then transfer to the AirTrain (a separate $8.50 fee). Total time from Midtown is around 60-70 minutes. A taxi from Midtown to JFK has a flat rate of $70 plus tolls and tip.
- Late-night service runs on all lines but less frequently. Between about 01:00 and 05:00, trains on most lines come every 20-30 minutes rather than every few minutes. If you are out late, check the next departure time on the platform clock or in the app.
- Subway platforms have no air conditioning. In summer the platforms can be extraordinarily hot - carry water and be prepared for a warm wait. Train cars are air-conditioned.
History of the New York City Subway
The New York City Subway opened on 27 October 1904, when the Interborough Rapid Transit Company ran its first trains from City Hall to 145th Street in Harlem. Around 150,000 people rode it on opening day - so many that the company lost money on the free round-trip tokens it had given out. The system grew quickly as three competing private operators - the IRT, the BMT and the city-owned IND - built rival networks under the same streets. By 1940 all three had been brought under city ownership, giving New York a unified subway that has run without interruption ever since. The 24-hour service was formalised during the Second World War and was never rolled back. Today the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) operates 472 stations across 245 miles of routes, serving all five boroughs - Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island (by the separate Staten Island Railway). The Fulton Center, completed in 2014, and the new 2nd Avenue Subway stations (open since 2017) are among the most significant recent additions to the network.
Accessibility
130/ 472 stations
Step-free access (28% coverage)
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the New York City Subway cost?
A single ride costs $2.90 whether you pay with OMNY (tap your card or phone) or a MetroCard. A 7-day Unlimited MetroCard costs $34.00. With OMNY, the weekly cap system means you get unlimited rides after paying for 12 trips in a week - the same benefit without needing to buy a pass.
Does the NYC Subway run 24 hours?
Yes. The New York City Subway runs around the clock, every day of the year. Late-night service (roughly 01:00 to 05:00) is less frequent on most lines - trains every 20-30 minutes rather than every few minutes - and some routes are rerouted for maintenance. Always check the MTA app for current advisories.
What is the difference between an Express and a Local train?
Express trains stop only at major stations (shown with a filled bullet on the map) and are significantly faster over long distances. Local trains stop at every station. Both use the same tracks and have the same fare. Check the front display and the letter or number on the train before boarding - for example, the 2 and 3 run express while the 1 is local on the same West Side corridor.
What is OMNY?
OMNY is the MTA's contactless fare system. Tap any contactless Visa, Mastercard or Amex bank card, or use Apple Pay or Google Pay, on the orange reader at the turnstile. No registration is needed. The weekly ride cap (free after 12 rides in a Monday-Sunday week) is applied automatically to your payment method.
How do I get to JFK Airport on the subway?
Take the A train to Howard Beach-JFK Airport, then ride the AirTrain to your terminal. The AirTrain costs $8.50 (paid separately at the AirTrain gate, not on the subway). Total journey time from Midtown Manhattan is typically 60-75 minutes. The E, J and Z trains reach Jamaica, where you can also board the AirTrain.
Is the NYC Subway accessible?
Partially. Around 130 of 472 stations are fully step-free with elevators. Many historic stations, particularly in Manhattan, have no elevators. The MTA's accessibility map (available on the website and in the app) shows which stations are step-free. Major accessible stations include Times Square, 34th Street-Penn Station, Atlantic Terminal (Brooklyn), and all new stations built since the 1990s.