The Great Subway Swap of 2025 is now underway, a shift intended to address years-long service issues on two lines that is expected to impact more than a million riders daily. Ultimately, officials say, it will be worth it.
Starting Monday, F and M subway lines switch routes — permanently. Transit officials believe it will help address major service concerns that have plagued the two lines for years.
The problems stem from a congested corner of Queens where the F and M lines currently share tracks. Lieber says there’s a merge that’s a choke-point, creating crossing and throughput problems.
By separating the trains, the MTA says there will be fewer delays along both lines.
“Everybody’s train is more likely to be on time,” said MTA Chairman Janno Lieber. “It’s going to increase reliability for 1.2 million riders who use these trains every day.”
“If you’re on an F train, you can be stopped ahead, waiting for an E train to cross in front of you,” added Executive Vice President of Subways Bill Amarosa. “That type of delay is a thing of the past.”
The fix work begins Monday at 6 a.m., and the changes will be made through 9:30 p.m. From then on, F trains will replace M trains at Queens Plaza, Court Square, Lexington and 53rd and 5th Avenue and 53rd.
Conversely, M trains will replace F trains at 21st Street Queensbridge, Roosevelt Island, Lexington and 63rd and 57th Street.
While the swap has been promoted on posters and signs throughout the system, many commuters were not aware of the changes coming next week. Some didn’t seem to think it would matter much.
“Still crowded. F train, M train, E train. Same s—,” said Joe Chamera.
Those living on Roosevelt Island may be impacted the most, as riders there have relied on the tram and the F train as their main modes of travel for years. Now, they will count on the M train.
It also marks a big change in transit for a city where some still miss the V train, which hasn’t run in 15 years, or the 9 train, which ended 20 years ago.
“We are all New Yorkers, nobody likes change,” Lieber said. “It really is going to be a better deal: more chance of a seat, less crowded train.”
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