The first elevated train in New York began operating on Greenwich Street on July 3, 1868. The first underground subway opened on October 27, 1904, after several years of construction, and was operated by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT). In 1923, the competing Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT) was established, running its own subway lines. This historical distinction is the reason why some subway lines in New York are identified by numbers while others are identified by letters.
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The History of New York Subway Lines
The reasons for the dual labeling system of the New York subway are historical and trace back to the early 20th century. At that time, the subway in New York was operated by two companies: the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) and the Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT).
The Interborough Rapid Transit Company initially named its lines. For example, the “Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line” ran from City Hall to 145th Street, and the “Ninth Avenue Line” ran from South Ferry to 155th Street. After expanding the subway network in 1917, the company transitioned to numerical designations.
The competing Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT) was founded in 1923 following the reorganization of assets from the bankrupt Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BRT). The BRT had been providing transportation services in New York since 1896, including a then-modern elevated railway. The Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation initially used names for most of its lines, such as the “14th Street–Canarsie Line” or the “4th Avenue Line.”
In 1940, both companies were purchased by the City of New York and merged with the municipal Independent Subway System (IND, also known as ISS). At the time, this organization operated several subway lines labeled with letters. After the merger with the IND system, the BMT also began to use letters for its line names more frequently.
To this day, differences between the lines remain evident, stemming from their varying standards. Trains on numbered lines are narrower and lighter, while those on lettered lines are wider and heavier.
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New York Subway Lines by Opening Date
Division Connections Line Boroughs Opening Date B (BMT) ⬤ L Canarsie Line Manhattan, Brooklyn October 21, 1865 B (BMT) ⬤ B ⬤ Q Brighton Line Brooklyn July 2, 1878 B (BMT) ⬤ S Franklin Avenue Line Brooklyn July 2, 1878 B (BMT) ⬤ J ⬤ M ⬤ Z Jamaica Line Brooklyn, Queens February 2, 1885 B (BMT) ⬤ M Myrtle Avenue Line Brooklyn, Queens December 19, 1889 A (IRT) ⬤ S 42nd Street Shuttle Manhattan October 27, 1904 A (IRT) ⬤ 1 ⬤ 2 ⬤ 3 Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn October 27, 1904 A (IRT) ⬤ 4 ⬤ 5 ⬤ 6 ◆ 6 Lexington Avenue Line Manhattan October 27, 1904 A (IRT) ⬤ 2 ⬤ 3 Lenox Avenue Line Manhattan November 23, 1904 A (IRT) ⬤ 2 ⬤ 5 White Plains Road Line Bronx July 10, 1905 A (IRT) ⬤ 2 ⬤ 3 ⬤ 4 ⬤ 5 Eastern Parkway Line Brooklyn January 9, 1908 B (BMT) ⬤ J ⬤ M ⬤ Z Nassau Street Line Manhattan September 16, 1908 A (IRT) ⬤ 7 ◆ 7 Flushing Line Manhattan, Queens June 22, 1915 B (BMT) ⬤ D ⬤ N ⬤ Q ⬤ R ⬤ W Fourth Avenue Line Brooklyn June 22, 1915 B (BMT) ⬤ N ⬤ Q ⬤ W Sea Beach Line Brooklyn June 22, 1915 B (BMT) ⬤ D West End Line Brooklyn June 24, 1916 B (BMT) ⬤ N ⬤ W Astoria Line Queens April 21, 1917 A (IRT) ⬤ 4 ⬤ 5 Jerome Avenue Line Bronx June 12, 1917 B (BMT) ⬤ N ⬤ Q ⬤ R ⬤ W Broadway Line Manhattan September 4, 1917 A (IRT) ⬤ 6 ◆ 6 Pelham Line Bronx August 1, 1918 B (IND) ⬤ F ◆ F ⬤ G Culver Line Brooklyn March 16, 1919 A (IRT) ⬤ 2 ⬤ 5 Nostrand Avenue Line Brooklyn August 23, 1920 A (IRT) ⬤ 2 ⬤ 3 ⬤ 4 ⬤ 5 New Lots Line Brooklyn November 23, 1920 B (IND) ⬤ A ⬤ B ⬤ C ⬤ D ⬤ E Eighth Avenue Line Manhattan, Brooklyn September 10, 1932 B (IND) ⬤ B ⬤ D Concourse Line Bronx, Manhattan July 1, 1933 B (IND) ⬤ G Crosstown Line Brooklyn, Queens August 19, 1933 B (IND) ⬤ E ⬤ F ◆ F ⬤ M ⬤ R Queens Boulevard Line Manhattan, Queens August 19, 1933 B (IND) ⬤ B ⬤ D ⬤ F ◆ F ⬤ M Sixth Avenue Line Manhattan, Brooklyn January 1936 B (IND) ⬤ A ⬤ C Fulton Street Line Brooklyn, Queens April 9, 1936 A (IRT) ⬤ 5 Dyre Avenue Line Bronx May 15, 1941 B (IND) ⬤ A ⬤ S Rockaway Line Queens June 28, 1956 B (BMT) ⬤ J ⬤ Z Archer Avenue Line Queens December 11, 1988 B (IND) ⬤ E Archer Avenue Line Queens December 11, 1988 B (BMT) ⬤ N ⬤ Q ⬤ R 63rd Street Line Manhattan October 29, 1989 B (IND) ⬤ F ◆ F 63rd Street Line Manhattan, Queens October 29, 1989 B (IND) ⬤ N ◆ F ⬤ R Second Avenue Line Manhattan January 1, 2017
For more information, including ticket prices, read the article at 2025 NYC Subway Guide – Map, Fare, Omny Tickets.
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