What we’re doing
Beginning December 8, 2025, and trains will permanently swap routes between Manhattan and Queens on weekdays from approximately 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.:
- trains will now stop between Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av and 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Ctr at Queens Plaza, Court Sq-23 St, Lexington Av/53 St, and 5 Av/53 St. These stations are currently served by the .
- trains will now stop between 36 St and 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Ctr at 21 St-Queensbridge, Roosevelt Island, Lexington Av/63 St, and 57 St. These stations are currently served by the .
During the day and evening, trains will continue to run express and trains will continue to run local in Queens.
Service will not change on weekends or during late nights:
- trains will still stop at 21 St-Queensbridge, Roosevelt Island, Lexington Av/63 St, and 57 St on weekends and during late nights.
- trains will still run between Delancey St-Essex St and Middle Village-Metropolitan Av on weekends and between Myrtle Av and Middle Village-Metropolitan Av during late nights.
- For service to/from Queens Plaza, Court Sq-23 St, Lexington Av/53 St, and 5 Av/53 St during these times, take the .
Why we’re doing it
This change will provide faster, more reliable service to the 1.2 million riders who take the trains every day.
When multiple subway lines share tracks, there is a higher chance of delays as those lines merge with or diverge from each other. If you’ve ever been on a train that had to wait while another train crossed in front of it, you encountered this kind of delay.
After this change, the will share tracks with two lines, down from three, and the will share tracks with three lines, down from four. This will eliminate delay-prone merges between the and lines at Queens Plaza, increasing reliability across the lines.
Since trains currently run less frequently than trains, we’re increasing peak-hour frequency on the to minimize any added wait time riders might experience at stations that will now be served by the rather than the .
During nights and weekends, trains don't run between Midtown and Queens, so night and weekend service will remain the same.
About your new trip
On weekdays, from approximately 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.:
- For service to/from 21 St-Queensbridge, Roosevelt Island, Lexington Av/63 St, and 57 St, take the .
- For express service between Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av and Forest Hills-71 Av, transfer between and trains at Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av.
- For service to/from Queens Plaza, Court Sq-23 St, Lexington Av/53 St, and 5 Av/53 St, take trains.
- For service to/from local stations between 36 St and Forest Hills-71 Av, transfer between and trains at 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Ctr, and trains at Queens Plaza, or and trains at Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av.
- Some transfers to/from and trains will change:
- To transfer between the and , use 34 St-Herald Sq.
- To transfer between and trains, use Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av.
- To transfer between the and , transfer between the and at 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Ctr or between and trains at Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av, and between and trains at Court Sq-23 St.
- To transfer between and trains, use the free street-level transfer between the at Lexington Av/63 St and the at 59 St. Or transfer between the and at 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Ctr or between and trains at Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av, and between and trains at Lexington Av/51-53 Sts.