472 stations, 28 lines, 24/7 service. Here's how to pay, find your train, and ride the New York City Subway.
Same fare applies to local buses, with a free subway-to-bus transfer within 2 hours. Reduced fare for seniors 65+ and people with disabilities: $1.45. Always confirm the current fare on mta.info/fares.
OMNY weekly fare cap. Tap with OMNY for 12 rides in any 7-day period and the rest of the week is free. No need to buy a weekly pass — the cap is automatic. Cap resets every Monday.
The MTA is transitioning from MetroCard to OMNY (contactless tap-to-pay). OMNY is the recommended payment method for all new riders.
Tap any contactless credit/debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay at the OMNY reader. No card to buy. Includes weekly fare cap.
A physical OMNY card if you don't have a contactless bank card. Buy and reload at OMNY vending machines or participating retailers.
Still accepted as of 2026, but being phased out. New MetroCard sales are ending — existing cards work until the MTA fully retires the system.
Half-price ($1.45) for seniors 65+ and people with disabilities. Apply for a Reduced Fare OMNY card or MetroCard via the MTA.
Don't double-tap. Tap your card or phone once at the OMNY reader. Tapping multiple times can charge you for multiple rides. Wait for the green checkmark and "GO" indicator.
NYC Subway lines are organized into "trunk lines" by color. Lines that share a color generally share a route through Manhattan, then split off to different boroughs. Always check the train's letter or number — not just the color — to ensure you're on the right line.
Manhattan West Side. 1 is local; 2 and 3 are express. To Bronx (2/5) and Brooklyn (2/3).
Manhattan East Side — only east-side line. 6 is local; 4 and 5 are express. To Bronx and Brooklyn.
Times Sq → Grand Central → Hudson Yards → Queensboro Plaza → Flushing-Main St. Connects to LGA-bound buses.
Manhattan West Side / 8th Ave. A is express to Far Rockaway/JFK; C is local; E goes to Queens. Penn Station served by A/C/E.
Manhattan 6th Ave. B/D are express; F/M are local. To Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens. Major lines through Midtown.
Only line that doesn't enter Manhattan. Connects Brooklyn (Court Sq → Bedford-Nostrand → Park Slope) to Queens.
Brooklyn (Jamaica) → Lower Manhattan via Williamsburg Bridge. J is local; Z is rush-hour skip-stop.
Crosstown 14th Street → Williamsburg → Bushwick → Canarsie. Best line for trendy Brooklyn neighborhoods.
Manhattan Broadway. N/Q are express; R/W are local. To Astoria (Queens), Brooklyn (Coney Island), and the Q runs to 96th St on 2nd Ave.
42nd St Shuttle (Times Sq ↔ GCT), Franklin Ave Shuttle (Brooklyn), and Rockaway Park Shuttle. Short connector routes.
If you're learning the system, these are the stations to know — they connect the most lines and are likely on your route.
Times Square-42nd Street. The busiest station in the system. Lines: 1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R, W, S (42nd St Shuttle to Grand Central). Connects to Port Authority Bus Terminal via underground passageway.
Grand Central-42nd Street. Lines: 4, 5, 6, 7, S. Direct connection to Metro-North trains and LIRR Grand Central Madison.
34th Street-Penn Station. Two stations on either side: 1/2/3 (red, west side) and A/C/E (blue, west side). Connects to Amtrak, LIRR, and NJ Transit at Penn Station.
14th Street-Union Square. Lines: 4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R, W. The system's east-west crossroads — connects Lexington Ave service to the L and Broadway lines.
Atlantic Ave-Barclays Center. Brooklyn's busiest station. Lines: 2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, N, Q, R, W. Connects to LIRR Atlantic Terminal.
Jay Street-MetroTech. Brooklyn. Lines: A, C, F, R. Major Downtown Brooklyn transfer point.
Fulton Street. Lower Manhattan. Lines: 2, 3, 4, 5, A, C, J, Z. Connects via the Fulton Center to the WTC PATH terminal.
Many subway lines run both express (skip stops) and local (stop at every station) trains on the same route. Knowing the difference can save 10–20 minutes on longer trips.
How to tell. Each train has a letter or number on the front and side. The MTA station signs and digital countdown clocks indicate which trains stop where. Local stations show only local trains; express stations show both.
Common pairings: 1 (local) / 2, 3 (express) on the West Side. 6 (local) / 4, 5 (express) on the East Side. R, W (local) / N, Q (express) on Broadway. C (local) / A (express) on 8th Ave. F, M (local) / B, D (express) on 6th Ave.
Late nights and weekends. Many express trains become local overnight, and weekend track work can change service patterns dramatically. Always check the MTA app or service status page before traveling on weekends or after midnight.
About one-third of NYC subway stations are ADA-accessible (with elevators and step-free access). The MTA is expanding accessibility under a 2022 settlement, with a goal of 95% accessibility by 2055.
Find accessible stations. The MTA's Accessible Stations map shows current and planned ADA-accessible stations. Look for the wheelchair symbol on station signs, on the system map, and in trip planning apps.
Uptown vs. downtown. "Uptown" means heading north (toward higher street numbers); "downtown" means south (toward lower numbers). Most stations have separate entrances for each direction — read the signs before swiping/tapping.
Check the front of the train. The line letter or number is displayed on the front and side. Don't board based on the line color alone — multiple lines share each color but go to different places.
Use a trip planner. Google Maps, Apple Maps, Citymapper, and the MTA's TrainTime app all show real-time arrivals, service alerts, and step-by-step directions. Citymapper is widely considered the best for NYC.
Free subway-to-bus transfer. Tap or swipe on a local bus within 2 hours of a subway ride and the transfer is free. Doesn't apply to Express Bus ($7.00 fare).
Stand back from the platform edge. Wait behind the yellow line. Trains cannot stop quickly, and platform crowding incidents do occur. Step back when a train is approaching.
Late night safety. Most stations are safe 24/7 but ridership thins out after midnight. Wait near the off-hours waiting area (yellow signs) where station agents and cameras are concentrated.
Major service changes happen weekends. Track work means many lines run on different routes Friday night through Monday morning. Always check service alerts on weekends.
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