NEW YORK (PIX11) – The New York City subway system is North America's largest and busiest transportation system, according to the MTA.
The subway system comprises 665 miles of subway track, has 472 stations, and operates seven days a week, 365 days a year.
Even with over 20 routes to choose from, one social media user on Reddit asked New Yorkers an important question.
Which subway lines would you extend if given the chance, and why?
“1/3/4/5/6/7/B/C/D/E/F/G/H/J/L/M/N/Q/R/S/T/W/SIR,” wrote SMK_Fatory.
The question sparked by DuckBeaver02 sparked a discussion among over 100,000 users on the r/nycrail social media page, a platform dedicated to all things related to New York City's passenger and freight trains.
Hundreds of Redditors took to the post to answer the question.
“👏N 👏to👏LaGuardia👏” wrote ChopinFantasie on the post.
Another commenter stated, “The fact that no subway lines run to any airport in NYC is mind-boggling.”
One straphanger took the time to say:
“All of them,” wrote Pale-North. “We need a subway line (not this interborough separate nonsense) that goes and connects with multiple stops from the top of Queens to the bottom of Brooklyn. A line that runs from the Bronx to Queens and a line that takes Staten Islanders into Brooklyn and Manhattan.”
Though many public transit riders had many ideas on how to improve the subway system, it is important to note in September, the MTA released its 2025-2029 capital plan.
The plan prioritizes 2,000 new railcars and more than 60 newly accessible stations. The plan also laid the groundwork for the Interborough Express, which plans to start work on a new project that cuts travel times and increases mobility options between Brooklyn and Queens.
PIX11 News contacted the MTA to see if a train directly to New York City airports was in the works; they did not immediately comment.
Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.