The F line is New York’s most delayed subway line in 2023, according to an examination of MTA statistics.
With just 71% of trains arriving on schedule, the route that connects Brooklyn’s Coney Island to Queens’ 179th street experiences the most frequent service interruptions.
The A and C lines, which connect Rockaway, Queens, to Inwood, Manhattan, do little better, as they were on time just 72% of the time.
On the lowest step of the unenviable podium comes the N line, which runs from Astoria in Queens to Coney Island in Brooklyn – with just 73% of trains operating on time.
An MTA representative provided an explanation for the delays, stating that the four lines that experience the biggest delays are mostly affected by construction projects, vandalism-related service suspensions, and the challenges associated with combining several line branches.
“The F is one of the longest lines and is affected by construction along much of its route, plus it is also affected by construction on other lines that are then rerouted onto the F line,” the spokesperson told The New York Post.
The official further explained that the A train has frequent delays because it is “one of the longest lines and is complicated because of the merging of branches in Queens”. Also, the C line’s performance is closely linked to that of the A line because it is an A line’s localized variant that travels the same route.
Conversely, the L line between Manhattan’s 14th Street and Brooklyn’s Canarsie runs 93% of its trains on time, making it the most reliable train on the NYC timetable. Notably, an extensive project completed in 2020 modernized the tunnels the L uses beneath the East River, contributing to improved service on the line.
The 7 line, which connects Flushing, Queens, and Times Square, Manhattan, closely trailed the L line with 91% of trains arriving on time.
