Like any good wannabe New Yorker, NYU students tend to walk around five miles per day. While this estimate is triple the national average, just know it could be substantially higher if it weren’t for the subway. With 36 lines, 472 stations and 665 miles of track that connect most parts of the city and horribly underserve others, the MTA is often the cheapest way to get from point A to point B in the shortest amount of time. 

You’ve probably heard hundreds of cautionary tales about the subway, but a caveat of living in the city is having to use public transportation. We feel inclined to show some amount of appreciation for this transit monopoly, because without it we’d be spending $50 on Ubers or walking so many miles our Sambas would fall apart. However, because the fare is an egregious $2.90 — increasing to $3.00 in 2026 — it’s important to identify the fan-favorite subway lines so you can ensure your money goes to the right place: the pockets of MTA executives.

The Q 

The Q is what the R wishes it could be. From 96th Street in Manhattan all the way to its last stop in Coney Island, this express line is not only faster but also strikes the balance between traveling underground and aboveground. It showcases an iconic view of Lower Manhattan and the Hudson River at night as it travels across the Brooklyn Bridge, and it’s rarely too busy that you can’t snag a window seat. Nostalgic yet efficient, the Q still features the classic orange and yellow pairs of seats and remains largely on time. It has quickly become my go-to when I need to travel from Manhattan to Brooklyn, and I can’t count how many times the Q running late at night on the R track at Eighth Street or Union Square has saved me long walks back to my dorm in the dark. 

   — Julia Kim, Culture Editor

The 4 

Despite the 4’s on-time rate being a meager 32.7% according to The Gothamist, its 24-hour service and express stops along the east side of Manhattan make up for its subpar punctuality. As one of the only express lines that go through the Bronx, Manhattan and Brooklyn, the 4 brings daily commuters and tourists to key spots like Grand Central Station, Union Square and the Brooklyn Bridge. Unlike the 5, whose late-night service is limited to the Bronx, the 4 works tirelessly into the early morning, essential to late-night shift workers and partygoers traveling from borough to borough. Whether you’re catching a concert or a sports game, the 4 gets you to Barclays Center and Yankee Stadium fast, skipping the extra stations in between. 

— Daphne Zhu, Culture Editor

The 6 

When I say “6,” you say “GOATED!” As a student that has had the privilege of living at Gramercy Green, the 6 is like home to me. A local line connecting stops across NYU’s campus like 23rd Street, Union Square, Astor Place and Bleecker Street, the 6 is perfect for when you need to catch a quick ride to campus or get as far away as you possibly can (the latter is far more likely). From 8 to 10 a.m., the 6 becomes the most in-demand train line in Manhattan, filling up with finance bros and anxious students late to their class at the Paulson Center — what can I say, the people love the 6! It may not be the most beautiful or clean train line, but reliability, timeliness and perfectly spaced local stops make the 6 that girl.

                              — Dylan Henschen, Food Editor

The R/W 

The R/W line is absolutely clutch, especially if you’re based in Manhattan. It is not too far east nor west and is pretty reliable, with about 75% of riders reporting that the R train arrived on time in a previous trip. On top of that, the R/W is one of the best trains for NYU students. Whether you’re having a late night study session in Bobst Library or living as far as Lafayette Hall, there is bound to be an R/W station nearby. Unlike its express brethren, the N/Q, the R/W line is local and spans three boroughs, all the way from Lower Manhattan to Coney Island and Bay Ridge — the perfect subway starter pack. 

                                                                                     — Noor Maahin, Identity & Equity Editor

The A 

If you’re someone who catches a train home through New York Penn Station, you know that taking the A is the surefire way to leave fashionably late and still make an express train with minutes to spare. Add on the fact that this is one of the few lines with the newest subway cars, which feel a lot more spacious, have elite air-conditioning capabilities, are slightly cleaner and are certainly less rattly than their older counterparts. Also, you can’t deny the fact that “A train” has an epic ring to it.

                                                                                               — Mia Shou, Deputy Culture Editor

The L

“L” is for “Lifeline-to-the-best-cafes-and-bakeries-in-New-York-City.” This line spans from 8th Avenue in Manhattan to the northern part of Canarsie in Brooklyn, picking up NYU students at Union Square and dropping them off in vibrant Williamsburg or Bushwick. The former neighborhood in particular hosts a plethora of New York’s best bakeries, including Martha’s Country Bakery, known for its traditional takes on your favorite baked goods. The cafes in Brooklyn simply breathe another air than their Manhattan counterparts, with unassuming, quaint exteriors and undeniably charming and welcoming interiors. There’s an allure to these hidden spots, which you have to dig out yourself through half-buried threads on the internet and aimless strolls around the neighborhood — spots that only the L can bring you to.

                                — Ivanka Sun, Beauty & Style Editor

Contact Julia Kim, Daphne Zhu, Noor Maahin, Dylan Henschen, Mia Shou and Ivanka Sun at [email protected].