MTA Switches Train Routes Affecting Riders Along the F Line

By Y.M. Lowy

The MTA is changing how the F and M trains travel between Queens and Manhattan during weekday daytime hours, and the update affects riders of the F line, which runs through Boro Park.

Starting Monday, the two lines will swap the East River tunnels they use from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on weekdays. F trains will now head into Manhattan through the 53rd Street tunnel after stopping at Queens Plaza, while M trains will take over the 63rd Street tunnel, making stops at 21st Street, Queensbridge, and Roosevelt Island before continuing into Manhattan. Both lines will reconnect under 6th Avenue.

The shift is meant to fix a daily bottleneck near Queens Plaza, where E and M trains currently cross in front of each other and often slow down the entire corridor. By separating the lines earlier, transit officials say they can run more frequent M trains and smooth out delays across the network.

The MTA expects the new setup to improve travel times for the E, M, F, and R lines as it settles in.

photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA