2 (New York City Subway service)

For the former Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation 2 service, see R (New York City Subway service).

Seventh Avenue Express
Wakefield–241st Street-bound 2 train of R142s entering East 180th Street in the Bronx.
Note: Dashed pink line shows limited rush hour service to/from New Lots Avenue.
Northern end	Wakefield–241st Street
Southern end	Flatbush Avenue–Brooklyn College New Lots Avenue (limited rush hour service)
Stations	49 52 (limited service) 61 (late night service)
Rolling stock	R142 (Rolling stock assignments subject to change)
Depot	239th Street Yard (fleet interchangeable with at East 180th Street Yard)
Started service	November 26, 1904 (1904-11-26)
Route map  2  Wakefield–241st Street  5  (limited rush) Nereid Avenue 233rd Street 225th Street 219th Street Gun Hill Road Burke Avenue Allerton Avenue Pelham Parkway Bronx Park East to Eastchester via Dyre Ave East 180th Street  5  (late nights) West Farms Square–East Tremont Avenue 174th Street Freeman Street Simpson Street Intervale Avenue Prospect Avenue Jackson Avenue Third Avenue–149th Street 149th Street–Grand Concourse Manhattan & Brooklyn via Lexington Avenue The Bronx Manhattan to via Lenox Avenue 135th Street 125th Street 116th Street Central Park North–110th Street Uptown & the Bronx via Broadway-Seventh Avenue switches to local tracks during late nights 96th Street 91st Street 86th Street 79th Street 72nd Street 66th Street–Lincoln Center 59th Street–Columbus Circle 50th Street Times Square–42nd Street  3  (late nights) 34th Street–Penn Station 28th Street 23rd Street 18th Street 14th Street Christopher Street–Stonewall Houston Street Canal Street Franklin Street Chambers Street to South Ferry via Broadway-Seventh Avenue Park Place Fulton Street Wall Street Manhattan Brooklyn Clark Street ​ Manhattan & the Bronx via Lexington Avenue Borough Hall northbound only for 4 and ​5 services Hoyt Street Nevins Street Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center Bergen Street Grand Army Plaza Eastern Parkway–Brooklyn Museum Franklin Avenue–Medgar Evers College Nostrand Avenue Kingston Avenue Crown Heights–Utica Avenue  4  ( 5  limited) Sutter Avenue–Rutland Road Saratoga Avenue Rockaway Avenue Junius Street Pennsylvania Avenue Van Siclen Avenue New Lots Avenue  3  ( 2  ​​ 4  ​ 5  limited) President Street–Medgar Evers College Sterling Street Winthrop Street Church Avenue Beverly Road Newkirk Avenue–Little Haiti Flatbush Avenue–Brooklyn College  2  ( 5  weekdays) Legend Lines used by the Other services sharing tracks with the Unused lines, connections, or service patterns  2  Termini of services Cross-platform interchange Platforms on different levels

The 2 Seventh Avenue Express is a rapid transit service in the A Division of the New York City Subway. Its route emblem, or "bullet", is colored red since it uses the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line through most of Manhattan.

The 2 operates at all times between 241st Street in Wakefield, Bronx, and Flatbush Avenue–Brooklyn College in Flatbush, Brooklyn; limited rush hour service in the reverse-peak direction originates and terminates at New Lots Avenue in East New York, Brooklyn instead of Flatbush Avenue. Daytime service makes express stops in Manhattan and all stops elsewhere; late night service makes all stops.

Historically, 2 trains have also run to Crown Heights–Utica Avenue or New Lots Avenue. They ran exclusively on the IRT New Lots Line until 1983, when the 2 was routed to Flatbush Avenue. This is still the case with some rush-hour trains, albeit just to New Lots Avenue.

Service history

Early history

The first section of what became the current 2 entered service on November 26, 1904, from the temporary 180th Street–Bronx Park terminal via the West Farms El to 149th Street–3rd Avenue. On July 10, 1905, the connection between the IRT Lenox Avenue Line and IRT White Plains Road Line (which was previously served by the Third Avenue El) opened, allowing subway service from Manhattan to the Bronx.

On January 9, 1908, the Joralemon Street Tunnel opened, connecting the current IRT Lexington Avenue Line to Brooklyn. At this time, trains ran from East 180th Street to Borough Hall. On May 1, 1908, trains were extended to Nevins Street and Atlantic Avenue.

The IRT White Plains Road Line was extended to 219th Street on March 3, 1917, to 238th Street–Nereid Avenue on March 31, 1917, and to Wakefield–241st Street on December 13, 1920. On August 1, 1918, the entire IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line was completed. On April 15, 1919, the Clark Street Tunnel opened, connecting the line to Brooklyn as well.

Beginning on December 19, 1919, trains ran to South Ferry with some rush hour trains to Atlantic Avenue. In 1923, during rush hours, 2 trains alternated between South Ferry and Utica Avenue. Beginning December 1, 1924, 2 trains that had previously ended at South Ferry were extended to New Lots Avenue.

On January 16, 1928, the New York State Transit Commission announced that it had reached an agreement with the IRT to increase service on its lines by 8,000,000 car miles a year; the greatest increase since 1922. As part of the changes, on January 30, all West Farms trains were extended from Atlantic Avenue to Flatbush Avenue during middays.

As of 1934, 2 trains ran from 180th Street-Bronx Park to Flatbush Avenue weekdays and Saturday during daytime and to South Ferry evenings and Sundays, running express in Manhattan. Late-night service was from 241st St to South Ferry, making all stops. There were occasional lay-up/put-ins from New Lots Avenue, and four weekday evening trains turned at Atlantic Avenue. On September 5, 1937, some evening rush hour trains started running to Flatbush Avenue.

As of July 1, 1938, weekday and Saturday evening service was extended to Flatbush Avenue from South Ferry.

Sunday service was extended to Flatbush Avenue on March 5, 1950.

Beginning on December 26, 1950, alternate weekday rush trains were extended to 241st Street in the peak direction, but PM rush service to 241st Street was discontinued on June 26, 1952. Beginning on August 4, 1952, the 180th Street—Bronx Park station was closed, with trains rerouted to East 180th Street.

Under the New York City Transit Authority

Morning rush hour service to 241st Street was cut back to Gun Hill Road on October 2, 1953. On March 19, 1954, weekend service was rerouted to New Lots Avenue at all times except late nights. On May 4, 1957, a track connection to the IRT Dyre Avenue Line was completed and daytime 2 trains were rerouted to Dyre Avenue. Evening service remained a shuttle between Dyre Avenue and East 180th Street, and morning rush service from Gun Hill Road was discontinued.

On December 20, 1957, weekday trains were rerouted to New Lots Avenue at all times except late nights. On June 26, 1958, late night service began between Dyre Avenue and East 180th Street. Beginning on December 12, 1958, late night service was extended to Flatbush Avenue and the 2 began running express at all times. Beginning February 6, 1959, trains ran between Wakefield–241st Street and Flatbush Avenue at all times except late nights, when they ran between East 180th Street and New Lots Avenue.

Beginning on April 8, 1960, daytime service was rerouted from Dyre Avenue to 241st Street and service in Brooklyn was rerouted from New Lots Avenue to Flatbush Avenue. At the same time, late night service was rerouted from Flatbush Avenue to New Lots Avenue.

Better Subway Service For Bronx IRT Riders

Beginning on April 18, 1965, evening service was extended from East 180th Street to 241st Street and daytime service was rerouted from Flatbush Avenue to New Lots Avenue.

On July 10, 1983, the 2 and 3 trains swapped terminals in Brooklyn, with 2 trains terminating at Flatbush Avenue and 3 trains terminating at New Lots Avenue. These changes were made to reduce non-revenue subway car mileage, to provide a dedicated fleet for each service, and to provide an easily accessible inspection yard for each service. The change allowed the 2 to be dedicated to 239th Street Yard and allowed the 3 to be assigned to Livonia Yard. With the rerouting of 3 trains, train lengths along the New Lots Line were reduced from 10 cars to 9 cars, within acceptable crowding levels, and train lengths along the Nostrand Avenue Line were increased from 9 to 10 cars, reducing crowding.

In Spring 1995, rush hour 5 service to 241st Street was cut back to Nereid Avenue. 241st Street had insufficient capacity to terminate all 2 and 5 trains during rush hours, requiring some 2 and 5 trips to terminate at Nereid Avenue. To ease passenger confusion regarding which trips terminate where and to provide more reliable service, it was decided to have all 2 trips terminate at 241st Street and have all 5 trains terminate at Nereid Avenue. This recommendation was made in response to comments made as part of the Northeast Bronx Comprehensive Study.

Recent history

From March 2 to October 12, 1998, the IRT Lenox Avenue Line was rehabilitated. On weekdays, 2 trains ran via the IRT Lexington Avenue Line between 149th Street–Grand Concourse and Nevins Street uptown from 5:00 a.m. to midnight and downtown from midnight to 5:00 a.m. On October 3, 1999, the 2 began running local in Manhattan during late night hours so local stations would receive service every ten minutes.

On December 9, 1999, New York City Transit released a proposal revising 2 and 5 service in the Bronx to eliminate a merge north of the East 180th Street station, increasing capacity and reducing delays, to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Board. Dyre Avenue-bound 5 trains would start running local along the White Plains Road Line while 2 trains would run express. Nereid Avenue-bound 5 trains would continue to run express in the Bronx. As part of the change, the frequency of service at White Plains Road Line local stations would decrease from 12 trains per hour to 7 trains per hour. Market research showed that riders at these stations preferred Lexington Avenue Line service. In addition, riders on the line north of East 180th Street would gain express service. This change would have been revenue neutral.

Shortly after the proposal was more widely announced in April 2000, Assemblyman Jeffrey Klein collected 2,000 signatures for a petition opposing the change. The MTA delayed the change's planned implementation by a month after receiving the petition. Opponents of the change also argued that it would have increased subway crowding on the 2 train, especially at the 72nd Street station on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line. The change was also opposed by State Senator Eric Schneiderman, Assemblyman Scott Stringer, and Public Advocate Mark Green. New York City Transit expected the passenger volume of downtown 2 trains in the morning rush hour to increase from 92% of capacity to 108% at 72nd Street. After Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver put pressure on the MTA, the change was pushed back for an additional three months in May 2000. On September 24, 2000, a spokesperson for New York City Transit said that MTA Chairman E. Virgil Conway told planners to drop the change until service on the 5 was increased with the arrival of new R142 subway cars by early 2002; the swap proposal was canceled the next day.

After September 11, 2001, 2 trains ran local in Manhattan at all times so they would not be delayed behind 3 trains terminating at 14th Street. Daytime express service resumed on September 15, 2002.

Due to repairs to Hurricane Sandy-related damage on the Clark Street Tube, on weekends between June 17, 2017, and June 24, 2018, the 2 ran between Eastchester–Dyre Avenue in the Bronx and South Ferry in Lower Manhattan, with 5 trains replacing it in Brooklyn and the Bronx north of East 180th Street. Trains ran express only between 96th Street and Times Square–42nd Street during the daytime.

Route

Service pattern

The following table shows the lines used by the 2, with shaded boxes indicating the route at the specified times:

Line	From	To	Tracks	Times
				all ex. nights	late nights	rush hours
IRT White Plains Road Line (full line)	Wakefield–241st Street	149th Street–Grand Concourse	local
IRT Lenox Avenue Line	135th Street	Central Park North–110th Street	all
IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line	96th Street	Chambers Street	express
			local
IRT Broadway-Seventh Avenue Line, Brooklyn branch	Park Place	Borough Hall	all
IRT Eastern Parkway Line	Hoyt Street	Franklin Avenue–Medgar Evers College	local
IRT Nostrand Avenue Line (full line)	President Street–Medgar Evers College	Flatbush Avenue–Brooklyn College	all			Most trains
IRT Eastern Parkway Line	Nostrand Avenue	Crown Heights–Utica Avenue	local			Limited service
IRT New Lots Line (full line)	Sutter Avenue–Rutland Road	New Lots Avenue	all

Stations

For a more detailed station listing, see the articles on the lines listed above.

Station service legend
	Stops all times
	Stops all times except late nights
	Stops late nights only
	Stops weekdays during the day
	Stops weekends during the day
	Stops all times except nights and rush hours in the peak direction
	Stops rush hours only
	Stops rush hours in the peak direction only
	Station closed
	Stops rush hours in the reverse-peak direction only (limited service)
Time period details
	Station is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act
↑	Station is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act in the indicated direction only
↓
	Elevator access to mezzanine only

Flat.	NL	Stations		Subway transfers	Connections
The Bronx
White Plains Road Line
		Wakefield–241st Street			Metro-North Railroad Harlem Line at Wakefield
		Nereid Avenue		5	Originating point for some southbound a.m. rush hour trains
		233rd Street		5	Metro-North Railroad Harlem Line at Woodlawn
		225th Street		5
		219th Street		5
		Gun Hill Road		5	Bx41 Select Bus Service Metro-North Railroad Harlem Line at Williams Bridge
		Burke Avenue		5
		Allerton Avenue		5
		Pelham Parkway		5	Bx12 Select Bus Service
		Bronx Park East		5
		East 180th Street		5
		West Farms Square–East Tremont Avenue		5	Q44 Select Bus Service
		174th Street		5
		Freeman Street		5
		Simpson Street		5
		Intervale Avenue		5	Bx6 Select Bus Service
		Prospect Avenue		5
		Jackson Avenue		5
		Third Avenue–149th Street		5	Bx41 Select Bus Service
		149th Street–Grand Concourse		5  4  (IRT Jerome Avenue Line)
Manhattan
Lenox Avenue Line
		135th Street		3
		125th Street		3	M60 Select Bus Service to LaGuardia Airport
		116th Street		3
		Central Park North–110th Street		3
Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line
		96th Street		1  ​​3
	|	86th Street		1	M86 Select Bus Service
	|	79th Street		1	M79 Select Bus Service
		72nd Street		1  ​​3
	|	66th Street–Lincoln Center		1
	|	59th Street–Columbus Circle		1  A  ​D  (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
	|	50th Street		1
		Times Square–42nd Street		1  ​​3  7  <7> ​ (IRT Flushing Line) A  ​C  ​E  (IND Eighth Avenue Line at 42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal) N  ​Q  ​R  ​W  (BMT Broadway Line) S  (42nd Street Shuttle) B  ​D  ​F  <F> ​M  (IND Sixth Avenue Line at 42nd Street–Bryant Park, daytime only)	Port Authority Bus Terminal M34A Select Bus Service
		34th Street–Penn Station		1  ​​3	M34 / M34A Select Bus Service Amtrak, LIRR and NJ Transit at Pennsylvania Station
	|	28th Street		1
	|	23rd Street		1	M23 Select Bus Service
	|	18th Street		1
		14th Street		1  ​​3  Out-of-system transfers with MetroCard/OMNY: F  <F> ​M  (IND Sixth Avenue Line at 14th Street) L  (BMT Canarsie Line at Sixth Avenue)	PATH at 14th Street M14A/D Select Bus Service
	|	Christopher Street–Stonewall		1	PATH at Christopher Street
	|	Houston Street		1
	|	Canal Street		1
	|	Franklin Street		1
		Chambers Street		1  ​​3
Brooklyn Branch
		Park Place		3  A  ​C  (IND Eighth Avenue Line at Chambers Street) E  (IND Eighth Avenue Line at World Trade Center) N  ​R  ​W  (BMT Broadway Line at Cortlandt Street)	PATH at World Trade Center
		Fulton Street		3  4  ​5  (IRT Lexington Avenue Line) A  ​C  (IND Eighth Avenue Line) J  ​Z  (BMT Nassau Street Line)	PATH at World Trade Center
		Wall Street		3	M15 Select Bus Service Staten Island Ferry at Whitehall Terminal
Brooklyn
		Clark Street		3	NYC Ferry: East River and South Brooklyn routes (at Old Fulton Street and Furman Street)
		Borough Hall		3  4  ​5  (IRT Eastern Parkway Line) N  R  ​W  (BMT Fourth Avenue Line at Court Street)
Eastern Parkway Line
		Hoyt Street	↓	3	Station is ADA-accessible in the southbound direction only.
		Nevins Street		​3  ​4  ​5
		Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center		​3  ​4  ​5  B  ​Q  (BMT Brighton Line) D  ​N  ​R  ​W  (BMT Fourth Avenue Line)	LIRR Atlantic Branch at Atlantic Terminal
		Bergen Street		​3  ​4
		Grand Army Plaza		​3  ​4
		Eastern Parkway–Brooklyn Museum		​3  ​4
		Franklin Avenue–Medgar Evers College		​3  ​4  ​5  S  (BMT Franklin Avenue Line at Botanic Garden)
Services to Flatbush Avenue and New Lots Avenue split
Nostrand Avenue Line
	—	President Street–Medgar Evers College		5
		Sterling Street		5	B44 Select Bus Service
		Winthrop Street		5	B44 Select Bus Service
		Church Avenue		5	B44 Select Bus Service
		Beverly Road		5
		Newkirk Avenue–Little Haiti		5	B44 Select Bus Service
		Flatbush Avenue–Brooklyn College		5	B44 Select Bus Service
Eastern Parkway Line (limited rush hour service only)
—		Nostrand Avenue		​3  ​4  ​5
		Kingston Avenue		​3  ​4  ​5
		Crown Heights–Utica Avenue		​3  ​4  ​5	B46 Select Bus Service
New Lots Line (limited rush hour service only)
—		Sutter Avenue–Rutland Road		​3  ​4  ​5	B15 bus to JFK Int'l Airport
		Saratoga Avenue		​3  ​4  ​5
		Rockaway Avenue		​3  ​4  ​5
		Junius Street		​3  ​4  ​5  Out-of-system transfer with MetroCard: L  (BMT Canarsie Line at Livonia Avenue)
		Pennsylvania Avenue		​3  ​4  ​5
		Van Siclen Avenue		​3  ​4  ​5
		New Lots Avenue		​3  ​4  ​5	B15 bus to JFK Int'l Airport

External links

• MTA NYC Transit – 2 Seventh Avenue Express
• MTA Subway Time—2 Train
• "2 Subway Timetable, Effective June 26, 2022". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 28, 2024.