The Metropolitan Transportation Authority plans to increase service on the A and L subway lines starting in November, aiming to better match shifting commuter patterns and growing demand during peak hours, according to Gothamist.
“At a time when subway service is the best it’s been in a dozen years, this makes it even better," NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow wrote in a statement.
Under the proposal, the A line will see one additional round-trip train during midday hours on weekdays, serving both the Lefferts Boulevard and Far Rockaway branches. On the L line, four extra round-trip trains will be added during the morning rush hour. This will increase frequency between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. from 20 to 22 trains per hour in each direction.
The enhancements are made possible by recent upgrades to the L line’s electrical power systems, which now support a higher volume of train traffic. The MTA also plans to tweak weekend L train schedules by shifting some morning service to the evening hours, in an effort to better serve late-night riders traveling between Manhattan and Brooklyn.
The proposed service changes are currently under review by the MTA board and are expected to be implemented in November. Officials say the updates are part of a broader effort to respond to changing travel habits in a post-pandemic world, where hybrid and remote work continue to reshape transit demand.
Weekday subway ridership has plateaued around 4 million trips daily—down from approximately 5.5 million in 2019—but peak-hour crowding remains a concern, particularly on popular lines like the L, which serves key residential and commercial areas in Williamsburg and East New York.
The planned service boost will cost the MTA an estimated $600,000 per year, a modest investment the agency believes will yield measurable improvements in rider experience and system reliability.
Transit advocates have praised the MTA’s efforts to adapt its service to rider needs but continue to call for broader investment in frequency and accessibility across all lines. If approved, the new schedule changes will bring some relief to commuters facing crowded trains and long waits, especially in neighborhoods heavily reliant on the A and L lines.
