The New York City Subway system has lettered or numbered route designations.
The subway normally operates 24 hours a day with five different service patterns: rush-hour, midday, evening, weekend and late-night. Each service has a table in its article to show what tracks are used and when. This article lists all the current services, along with their lines and terminals and a brief description; see Unused New York City Subway service labels for unused and defunct services.
In the New York City Subway nomenclature, numbered or lettered "services" use different segments of physical trackage, or "lines". The services that run on certain lines change periodically.
The New York City Subway is one of the few subways worldwide operating 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The schedule is divided into different periods, with each containing different operation patterns and train intervals.
The MTA defines time periods as follows; these are used in articles (sometimes abbreviated by numbers in superscript or the symbol indicated):
Other symbols are derivatives and are defined based on the rules above:
Lines with colors next to them are the primary trunk line of the corresponding service; they determine the color of the service bullets and diamonds, except shuttles, which are dark gray.
| width=1% | width=9% | Route | width=20% | Line(s) | width=15% | North terminal | width=15% | South terminal | width=40% | Service pattern(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=center colspan=6 | A Division (IRT) | ||||||||||
| Broadway–Seventh Avenue Local | IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line | Operates at all times, fully local, making all stops | |||||||||
| Seventh Avenue Express | IRT White Plains Road Line IRT Lenox Avenue Line IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line IRT Eastern Parkway Line IRT Nostrand Avenue Line | (some rush hour trips) | Operates at all times, express on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line in Manhattan, and local elsewhere Operates fully local late nights | ||||||||
| Seventh Avenue Express | IRT Lenox Avenue Line IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line IRT Eastern Parkway Line IRT New Lots Line | (late nights) | Operates the full route at all times except late nights, express on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line in Manhattan and local elsewhere Short turns at Times Square–42nd Street late nights | ||||||||
| Lexington Avenue Express | IRT Jerome Avenue Line IRT Lexington Avenue Line IRT Eastern Parkway Line IRT New Lots Line | (some rush hour trips and late nights) | Operates at all times; normally express on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line in Manhattan and IRT Eastern Parkway Line in Brooklyn and local on the IRT Woodlawn Line in the Bronx Skips 138th Street rush hours in peak direction. Extended to New Lots Avenue late nights Operates fully local late nights | ||||||||
| Lexington Avenue Express | IRT Dyre Avenue Line IRT White Plains Road Line IRT Jerome Avenue Line IRT Lexington Avenue Line IRT Eastern Parkway Line IRT Nostrand Avenue Line | (some rush hour trips) | Flatbush Avenue–Brooklyn College (weekdays until 8:45pm) Bowling Green (evenings and weekends) East 180th Street (late nights) | Operates the full route (Dyre Avenue to Flatbush Avenue) rush hours and middays; with additional service to Nereid Avenue rush hours in the peak direction Short turns at Bowling Green evenings and weekends Express in Manhattan and on the IRT Eastern Parkway Line in Brooklyn Express in the peak direction between East 180th Street and East 149th Street-Grand Concourse in the Bronx rush hours only and local at all other times Operates as a shuttle (Dyre Avenue to East 180th Street) late nights | |||||||
| Lexington Avenue Local | IRT Pelham Line IRT Lexington Avenue Line | (rush hours and middays) | Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall | Operates at all times, fully local Some trains in a.m. non-peak direction short turn at Parkchester when the <6> operates. Short turns in p.m. peak direction at Parkchester when the <6> operates. | |||||||
| Pelham Bay Park Express | IRT Pelham Line IRT Lexington Avenue Line | Operates rush hours and midday only, in the peak direction Express on the IRT Pelham Line between Third Avenue and Parkchester and local elsewhere | |||||||||
| Flushing Local | IRT Flushing Line | Operates at all times, fully local | |||||||||
| Flushing Express | IRT Flushing Line | Operates rush hours and evenings only, in the peak direction Express between Queensboro Plaza and Main Street | |||||||||
| 42nd Street Shuttle | IRT 42nd Street Shuttle | Operates at all times except late nights | |||||||||
| align=center colspan=6 | B Division (IND/BMT) | ||||||||||
| Eighth Avenue Express | IND Eighth Avenue Line IND Fulton Street Line IND Rockaway Line | (late night Lefferts Boulevard Shuttle) | or (some peak direction rush hour trips) | Operates at all times, normally express between 168th Street and Euclid Avenue and local elsewhere Trains alternate between Lefferts Boulevard and Far Rockaway with limited peak service to Rockaway Park Operates fully local late nights only to Far Rockaway with shuttle service between Euclid Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard | |||||||
| Sixth Avenue Express | IND Concourse Line IND Eighth Avenue Line IND Sixth Avenue Line BMT Brighton Line | (rush hours) (middays and evenings) | Operates weekdays only, until 10:00 p.m. Operates express in Brooklyn and on the IND Sixth Avenue Line in Manhattan; local on Central Park West/Eighth Avenue Line in Manhattan and in the Bronx Short turns at 145th Street during middays and evenings | ||||||||
| Eighth Avenue Local | IND Eighth Avenue Line IND Fulton Street Line | Operates at all times except late nights, fully local | |||||||||
| Sixth Avenue Express | IND Concourse Line IND Eighth Avenue Line IND Sixth Avenue Line BMT Fourth Avenue Line BMT West End Line | Operates at all times, express in Manhattan at all times, normally express on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line in Brooklyn and local elsewhere in Brooklyn Operates fully local in Brooklyn late nights Express on the IND Concourse Line rush hours in the peak direction and local other times | |||||||||
| Eighth Avenue Local | IND Archer Avenue Line IND Queens Boulevard Line IND Eighth Avenue Line | (some rush hour trips) | Operates at all times, normally express on the IND Queens Boulevard Line in Queens and local elsewhere Operates local north of Forest Hills evenings and weekends Operates fully local late nights | ||||||||
| Queens Boulevard Express/Sixth Avenue Local | IND Queens Boulevard Line IND 63rd Street Line IND Sixth Avenue Line IND Culver Line | (some rush hour trips) | Operates at all times Operates express in Queens between Forest Hills–71st Avenue and 21st Street–Queensbridge and local elsewhere Some rush hour trains short turn at Kings Highway | ||||||||
| Culver Express | IND Queens Boulevard Line IND 63rd Street Line IND Sixth Avenue Line IND Culver Line | Operates rush hours, peak direction only Operates express in Queens between Forest Hills–71st Avenue and 21st Street–Queensbridge and in Brooklyn between Jay Street–MetroTech and Church Avenue, and local elsewhere | |||||||||
| Brooklyn–Queens Crosstown | IND Crosstown Line IND Culver Line | Operates at all times, fully local | |||||||||
| Nassau Street Local | BMT Archer Avenue Line BMT Jamaica Line BMT Nassau Street Line | Operates at all times, normally fully local Operates skip-stop with the Z train during rush hours in the peak direction. Runs express from Myrtle Avenue to Marcy Avenue middays and rush hours in peak direction. | |||||||||
| 14th Street–Canarsie Local | BMT Canarsie Line | Operates at all times, fully local Some Canarsie-bound trains short-turn at Myrtle-Wyckoff Avenues during the a.m. rush hour | |||||||||
| Queens Boulevard/Sixth Avenue Local | IND Queens Boulevard Line IND Sixth Avenue Line BMT Nassau Street Line BMT Jamaica Line BMT Myrtle Avenue Line | (evenings and weekends) (late nights) | Middle Village–Metropolitan Avenue | Operates the full route weekdays, fully local Short turns at Essex Street evenings and weekends Operates as a shuttle (Metropolitan Avenue to Myrtle Avenue) late nights | |||||||
| Broadway Express | BMT Astoria Line BMT Broadway Line BMT Fourth Avenue Line BMT Sea Beach Line | Operates at all times Normally operates via the Manhattan Bridge, express on the BMT Broadway Line south of Times Square weekdays, express on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line in Brooklyn, and local elsewhere Local in Manhattan weekends Operates via the Montague Street Tunnel late nights, fully local | |||||||||
| Second Avenue/Broadway Express/Brighton Local | IND Second Avenue Line BMT 63rd Street Line BMT Broadway Line BMT Brighton Line | Operates at all times, normally express in Manhattan and local in Brooklyn Operates fully local late nights | |||||||||
| Broadway Local | IND Queens Boulevard Line BMT Broadway Line BMT Fourth Avenue Line | (late nights) | Operates the full route at all times except late nights, fully local Short turns at Whitehall Street late nights | ||||||||
| Franklin Avenue Shuttle | BMT Franklin Avenue Line | Operates at all times | |||||||||
| Rockaway Park Shuttle | IND Rockaway Park Branch of the IND Rockaway Line | Operates at all times | |||||||||
| Broadway Local | BMT Astoria Line BMT Broadway Line | Operates during weekdays only until 11:00 p.m., fully local, making all stops | |||||||||
| Nassau Street Express | BMT Archer Avenue Line BMT Jamaica Line BMT Nassau Street Line | Skip-stop pair with J service during rush hours in the peak direction only |
| width=1% | width=9% | Route | with=20% | Line(s) | width=15% | North terminal | width=15% | South terminal | width=40% | Service pattern(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Second Avenue Local | IND Second Avenue Line | Houston Street (Phase 3) Hanover Square (Phase 4) | Will operate at all times, fully local, making all stops |
Several services operate shorter routes during lower ridership hours, but these are neither signed differently nor counted as separate services. Although service changes caused by General Orders for construction occur on most days during midday and overnight hours, and throughout most weekends, these changes are not counted as separate services.
Because of some terminal station capacity constraints, numerous services operate to a secondary terminal as well as their usual terminus during peak hours.
The following lines run in special service or after sporting and other events:
The schedule offers trains every 3 to 5 minutes on the most used sections during rush hours. During other traffic periods, intervals range usually from 4 to 12 minutes or up to 20 minutes on outer sections. During late nights, only selected express services are operated and all late-night services usually run every 20 minutes.
| Day of the week | Rush Hour a.m. | Midday | Rush Hour p.m. | Evening | Weekend | Late Night |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday to Friday | 6:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. | 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. | 3:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. | 8 p.m. – 12 a.m. | 12 a.m. – 6:30 a.m. | |
| Saturday, Sunday, Holidays | 6:30 a.m. – 12 a.m. |
| Train headways in minutes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Period | (42nd St.) | (Fkln. Ave.) | (Rock. Park) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rush hours | 3-7 | 6-7 | 6-7 | 4-5 | 5-6 | 2-4 | 2-3 | 2-4 | 4-5 | 7-9 | 9-10 | 6-7 | 4 | 4-5 | 6-9 | 5-8 | 4-5 | 8-10 | 6-8 | 6-8 | 6-8 | 8-10 | 10 | 12-28 | |
| Middays | 6 | 7-8 | 8-9 | 7-8 | 8-9 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 7-10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7-8 | 7-8 | 8 | 8 | 4-6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 13-17 | |
| Evenings | 10 | 8-12 | 12 | 10 | 10-12 | 10-12 | 5-8 | 5 | 10-12 | 12 | 10-12 | 6-10 | 8-10 | 8-12 | 12-15 | 7-12 | 12-15 | 10-12 | 8-12 | 12 | 10 | 12-15 | 15-20 | ||
| Weekends | 6-8 | 8-12 | 8-12 | 8-12 | 8-12 | 6-8 | 4-8 | 5 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 8-10 | 4-10 | 8-10 | 12 | 8-10 | 12 | 10-15 | 15-20 | |||
| Late nights | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | |||||
This is a list of average train frequencies during different times of the day, measured in trains per hour (tph). This chart shows frequencies based on the train intervals listed in timetables, with a margin of error of 2 tph.
| Trains per hour | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Period | (42nd St.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rush hours | 8–18 | 9–10 [5] | 9–10 | 14.5 | 14.5 [6] | 12–15 | 12–15 | 10–15 | 10–15 | 20 | 15 [7] | 8 | 6–7 | 10 | 15 [8] | 14.5 | 2 [9] | 6–8 | 6 | 6 | 18–20 | 7–8 | 7.5 | 7.5-10 | 7.5 | 6-7 | 6 | 3-4 | |
| Middays, evenings, and weekends[10] | 10 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 12 | 12 | 8 [11] | 6-7.5 | 6-7.5 | 6-7.5 | 8 | 8 | 7.5 | 6-7.5 | 15 | 6-7.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | ||||
| Late nights | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 [12] | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||
See New York City Subway nomenclature for a complete explanation; this is just a table of when each service has existed (and been signed for the public). Shuttles were SS until 1985, when they became (which had been used for specials). See here for the colors used for shuttles in 1967; in 1968 all six became green, and in 1979 all shuttles became dark gray.