NYC subway on-time performance by line, September 2026
Which New York City subway lines ran closest to schedule in September 2026, and which fell furthest behind. The monthly results for every line come from MTA's open data: terminal on-time performance and wait assessment. The rankings, changes since last month and last year, system averages and the side-by-side look at service alerts are our own calculations.
Data updated: Figures are MTA's published monthly results; rankings, changes and averages are computed from our copy of the data and no commentary is added.
Short answer
In September 2026, among the 20 lines in MTA's data other than the S shuttles, the 7 line had the highest weekday terminal on-time performance (90.7%) and the N line had the lowest (70.4%).
September 2026 at a glance
- Lines ranked
- 23Lines with a weekday terminal on-time figure in September 2026
- All lines, weekdays
- 82.3%Our average, weighted by scheduled trips; MTA's data has no system-wide figure
- Against September 2025
- -2.7 ptsChange in that average, in percentage points
- Wait assessment, weekdays
- 69.9% peak, 72.7% off-peakOur average across all lines, weighted by scheduled timepoints
Terminal on-time performance by line, September 2026
MTA's monthly result for each line: the share of scheduled trips that reached their final stop on time. Lines are ranked on weekdays; lines with the same rounded figure share a rank. Changes are in percentage points (pts) and are our own calculation; where a line has no figure for the earlier month, the cell says n/a.
| Line | Rank | Weekdays | Weekends | Weekdays, change since August 2026 | Weekdays, change since September 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S Fkln | 1 | 99.4% | 95.8% | +0.3 pts | -0.5 pts |
| S 42nd | 2 | 99.1% | 99.8% | -0.8 pts | -0.6 pts |
| S Rock | 3 | 95.8% | 97.0% | -0.7 pts | +0.6 pts |
| 7 | 4 | 90.7% | 95.8% | -0.5 pts | -1.9 pts |
| JZ | 5 | 89.2% | 88.6% | +3.3 pts | -3.2 pts |
| L | 6 | 87.1% | 95.5% | +10.3 pts | -4.5 pts |
| G | 7 | 86.8% | 87.2% | +3.1 pts | -1.3 pts |
| C | 8 | 86.0% | 52.6% | +6.8 pts | +5.3 pts |
| 3 | 9 | 85.9% | 78.2% | -0.8 pts | +7.4 pts |
| M | 10 | 85.8% | 96.2% | +2.4 pts | -2.1 pts |
| 4 | 11 | 81.8% | 71.3% | -2.7 pts | +1.3 pts |
| 1 | 12 | 81.1% | 93.4% | -2.7 pts | +0.6 pts |
| R | 13 | 80.4% | 82.5% | +2.5 pts | -1.5 pts |
| 5 | 14 | 77.7% | 93.3% | -1.9 pts | -1.9 pts |
| 6 | 15 | 77.5% | 81.4% | -0.5 pts | -7.2 pts |
| F | 16 | 76.1% | 71.1% | +4.0 pts | -4.9 pts |
| A | 17 | 76.0% | 63.0% | -1.9 pts | -8.8 pts |
| E | 17 | 76.0% | 80.5% | +3.8 pts | -7.6 pts |
| B | 19 | 75.4% | n/a | +3.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
| Q | 20 | 73.6% | 75.3% | +1.0 pts | -6.7 pts |
| 2 | 21 | 72.4% | 74.6% | -3.2 pts | +2.7 pts |
| D | 22 | 71.8% | 76.5% | -2.9 pts | -14.0 pts |
| N | 23 | 70.4% | 71.1% | +0.6 pts | -4.7 pts |
Wait assessment by line, September 2026
MTA's monthly result for each line: how evenly trains were spaced at the timepoints it checks, shown for weekdays at peak and off-peak. Lines are ranked on the peak figure. The gap is our own calculation (peak minus off-peak, in percentage points; a negative number means the peak figure is lower). The last line of the table is our average across all lines.
| Line | Peak rank | Weekday peak | Weekday off-peak | Gap, peak minus off-peak | Peak, change since September 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FS | 1 | 98.5% | 94.2% | +4.3 pts | -1.4 pts |
| GS | 2 | 98.2% | 96.6% | +1.6 pts | +1.1 pts |
| H | 3 | 97.1% | 95.7% | +1.4 pts | +5.1 pts |
| G | 4 | 79.2% | 81.2% | -2.0 pts | -3.7 pts |
| J | 5 | 76.2% | 81.9% | -5.7 pts | -1.7 pts |
| 1 | 6 | 75.0% | 77.3% | -2.3 pts | +2.7 pts |
| C | 7 | 74.8% | 72.9% | +1.9 pts | +1.4 pts |
| 3 | 8 | 74.6% | 75.2% | -0.6 pts | +10.4 pts |
| 7 | 9 | 72.3% | 77.8% | -5.5 pts | +0.5 pts |
| M | 10 | 71.1% | 73.9% | -2.8 pts | +1.9 pts |
| Q | 11 | 70.2% | 71.0% | -0.8 pts | -0.5 pts |
| R | 12 | 69.9% | 73.2% | -3.3 pts | +0.9 pts |
| B | 13 | 69.8% | 67.1% | +2.7 pts | +5.6 pts |
| E | 14 | 69.2% | 70.5% | -1.3 pts | -1.2 pts |
| 4 | 15 | 68.3% | 72.0% | -3.7 pts | +2.8 pts |
| 6 | 15 | 68.3% | 75.1% | -6.8 pts | -1.9 pts |
| D | 15 | 68.3% | 67.8% | +0.5 pts | -1.1 pts |
| W | 15 | 68.3% | 70.6% | -2.3 pts | +0.1 pts |
| A | 19 | 67.1% | 69.3% | -2.2 pts | -0.9 pts |
| L | 19 | 67.1% | 71.6% | -4.5 pts | -9.8 pts |
| 2 | 21 | 66.3% | 66.0% | +0.3 pts | +3.0 pts |
| F | 22 | 65.5% | 67.7% | -2.2 pts | -3.6 pts |
| N | 23 | 64.9% | 67.2% | -2.3 pts | -0.7 pts |
| 5 | 24 | 62.3% | 69.9% | -7.6 pts | +0.3 pts |
| All lines (our average) | 69.9% | 72.7% | -2.8 pts | +0.2 pts |
The last 12 months, all lines together
Our own calculation: one average for all lines in each month, weighted by scheduled trips or timepoints, for weekdays. MTA's data has no system-wide figure. Every line the data lists for a month is included; a month missing from our data shows n/a.
| Month | Terminal on-time, weekdays | Wait assessment, weekday peak | Wait assessment, weekday off-peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 82.3% | 69.9% | 72.7% |
| August 2026 | 81.4% | 68.2% | 70.4% |
| July 2026 | 81.9% | 67.4% | 70.0% |
| June 2026 | 82.6% | 65.9% | 68.2% |
| May 2026 | 81.2% | 64.6% | 68.0% |
| April 2026 | 83.7% | 68.3% | 71.8% |
| March 2026 | 82.4% | 69.1% | 72.4% |
| February 2026 | 79.0% | 65.2% | 69.5% |
| January 2026 | 82.3% | 68.4% | 72.3% |
| December 2025 | 82.8% | 67.7% | 71.1% |
| November 2025 | 84.4% | 69.2% | 73.1% |
| October 2025 | 83.5% | 69.7% | 73.0% |
Lines that improved most since September 2025
Our own calculation: weekday terminal on-time performance in September 2026 against September 2025, for lines with a figure in both months, largest improvement first.
| Line | September 2025 | September 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 78.5% | 85.9% | +7.4 pts |
| C | 80.7% | 86.0% | +5.3 pts |
| 2 | 69.7% | 72.4% | +2.7 pts |
Lines that slipped most since September 2025
Our own calculation: weekday terminal on-time performance in September 2026 against September 2025, for lines with a figure in both months, largest decline first.
| Line | September 2025 | September 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| D | 85.8% | 71.8% | -14.0 pts |
| A | 84.8% | 76.0% | -8.8 pts |
| E | 83.6% | 76.0% | -7.6 pts |
Service alerts and on-time performance side by side, July 2026
Our own count of service alerts that name each line in MTA's service alert archive, dated by the alert's own date, next to the line's weekday terminal on-time figure for the same month. The two are shown side by side only: they are separate measures and one does not explain the other. Lines are ordered by alert count; lines with the same figure share a rank. Ranks are among the lines shown. The S shuttles are left out because the archive does not name them the way MTA's performance data does.
| Line | Alerts | Alert rank | Weekday on-time | On-time rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 677 | 1 | 80.8% | 9 |
| N | 481 | 2 | 66.5% | 20 |
| F | 474 | 3 | 73.7% | 16 |
| D | 435 | 4 | 73.3% | 18 |
| 2 | 401 | 5 | 71.3% | 19 |
| 4 | 397 | 6 | 83.8% | 7 |
| E | 394 | 7 | 73.6% | 17 |
| R | 375 | 8 | 78.5% | 12 |
| Q | 331 | 9 | 75.8% | 15 |
| 5 | 324 | 10 | 77.3% | 13 |
| 6 | 310 | 11 | 78.6% | 11 |
| C | 288 | 12 | 85.0% | 4 |
| 3 | 251 | 13 | 84.3% | 5 |
| B | 225 | 14 | 76.7% | 14 |
| 1 | 203 | 15 | 83.0% | 8 |
| M | 178 | 16 | 84.1% | 6 |
| 7 | 132 | 17 | 87.7% | 2 |
| L | 128 | 18 | 86.7% | 3 |
| JZ | 118 | 19 | 89.9% | 1 |
| G | 113 | 20 | 80.1% | 10 |
Definitions, data and related pages
The exact definitions of the measures are MTA's. The data sets are on the New York State open data portal.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the worst subway line in NYC?
- It depends on the measure and the month. In September 2026, the N line had the lowest weekday terminal on-time performance (70.4%), and the 5 line had the lowest weekday peak wait assessment (62.3%). These are one month's results and the order changes from month to month, so use the line tables above and the 12-month table for the wider picture.
- What is the best subway line in NYC?
- In September 2026, among lines other than the S shuttles, the 7 line had the highest weekday terminal on-time performance (90.7%). The short shuttle lines scored higher, led by the S Fkln entry (99.4%). The figures say nothing about how comfortable or fast a ride is.
- What does on-time mean for the subway?
- In MTA's terminal on-time performance, a scheduled trip counts when it reaches its final stop on time; the line's figure is the share of its scheduled trips that did. MTA sets the exact rules, which are on its metrics site linked on this page.
- How is wait assessment different from terminal on-time performance?
- Terminal on-time performance looks at whether trips reach their final stop on time. Wait assessment looks at how evenly trains are spaced at selected timepoints along a line, split here into peak and off-peak weekday service. They are separate measures and can rank a line differently.
- How often is this data updated?
- MTA publishes the results once a month, weeks after the month ends. The newest month here is September 2026 and the data set was last updated on October 23, 2026; we check for new data every day.