The New York City subway system runs through the metro area like veins, pumping over a billion riders (locals and travelers alike) from place to place below the streets (and sometimes above them) 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Even with stiff competition from high-tech transit systems like those in Tokyo and Seoul, the NYC subway is recognized as one of the best in the world — but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t issues. A report from the Office of the New York State Comptroller released on September 10, 2025, identified several causes of significant subway delays and noted that the most recent major incidents came from car issues on three main subway lines: E, F, and R.
This news was not particularly surprising to New Yorkers, as these lines are often unavoidable and somewhat notorious for delays. For visitors planning their routes through the city, it’s worth noting that these subway lines are prone to breaking down from time to time, significantly impacting riders unfortunate enough to be taking the train when it happens.
Still, the truth is that the subway is the cheapest way to explore New York City and the best way to get around like a local. Unless you’re planning to spend your entire trip going between Times Square and the 9/11 Memorial (don’t), you’re going to be hopping on and off different subways. If where you want to go is on the E, F, or R train, that just is what it is, as New Yorkers are fond of saying. That said, if you’re already late for your flight, maybe avoid taking the E to the Airtrain.
What kind of delays are happening on the E, F, and R?
The E, F, and R lines have decades-old subway cars. More than a third of them date back to the 1980s or earlier. It can be neat to step into one of these little time capsules, but they are a lot more likely to break down than modern subway cars. Recently, the number of breakdowns has increased by about 300%. But exactly how bad are delays?…