The A Train

Goes through so many blighted disdainful areas of the city. While the A train might make for great novel fodder due to its passing through so many neighborhoods as to inspire great drama, its extremely slow progress through far-​away Brooklyn, especially the very dangerous East New York stops, and also the same for its far Northern Manhattan stop makes it too dangerous for normal use. Tons of stops in both said areas make it even more nerve-​wracking. I feel sorry for those JFK folks using the A train to reach Manhattan thinking it’s the fastest way when the E train via Sutphin Blvd is instead the faster better way. The downtown Brooklyn snaking is also slow & adds to an already long route. Inside Manhattan, the express tracks are often not shared with local platforms so I just put up with the local wait & stops instead of taking my chances going over a platform via an up-​then-​down-​then-​up passageway.

I hate this train so much. When I lived in East NY I took it every single day because the J train was too far. It’s very dated, which causes the train to look very dark. Most of the stops are dirty too. Idk why the MTA is ignoring the aesthetic help the A line needs. There are a lot of bums on this line as well, so be careful what cart you go into. Very smelly train too. This line is probably the worse MTA train line. Do not take if you don’t have to.

Taking the A train is an easy and inexpensive way to get to and from JFK and Manhattan.
Take the AirTrain from JFK to the subway station leaving from Howard Beach Station. Then you can take the A train to Jay Street-​Metrotech Station and transfer to a different line, if necessary, and this will take you into lower Manhattan.

I can go on for hours on while this is such a horrible train. The conductors are rude. It is always dirty. It runs extremely slow on the weekend. It is old. I mean the train is just horrific. One day, one of the conductors of the train actually did not make an announcement that it was switching lines. Then I got off and he told me walk because it was only about 15 blocks away from where I was supposed to get off at. THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE A TRAIN. STAY AWAY FROM THE MTA.

I seriously spend two hours a day on this train commuting between Bed Stuy and Washington Heights. In the morning this train runs every ten minutes or less, once I get past West 42^nd Street all the hipsters, wall street bankers, and tourists have exited my commute is express from West 59^th Street to West 125^th Street.
This train line is iconic, Duke Ellington composed a song about it. It’s urban, gritty, and hip. It’s stops in the Rockaways, JFK, the theater district, downtown Brooklyn, and Harlem. It is the longest train line in the MTA covering over 30 miles of The Big Apple.
Now let’s be honest this is New York so you will have the occasional hip hop dance crew «Showtime» swinging from the poles and passing around the hat and an homeless dude asking for spare change claiming hunger, then viciously roles his eyes at you because you offered an freshly made, still wrapped Subway sandwich (true story), but seriously this is NYC and it comes with the territory.
I’m seldom late for work. I always leave at least 15 minutes early and I bring headphones to listen to Drake or Frank Sinatra.
Four stars because weekend service sucks on the A. Weekend services sucks throughout the MTA.

An early-​morning commute on what the MTA claims to be an express train, the putrid eau de yuck wafting through the train car only slightly set off by the Clorox the crew uses to clean the car out. On good days you don’t step into the muck on the floor or get randomly pulled into some discussion between hostile passengers. The local © train is just as bad. Both are in need of serious reform. A significant departure from Duke Ellington’s A Train.

I use this train every time I need to get to JFK Airport, otherwise I rarely use it. It’s very fast and convenient. Remember to take the Far Rockaway train if you’re going to JFK. I missed the first train at the Metrotech station, but another one came in 8 minutes, so it was quick and convenient. Yes, you do have to be careful and be aware of your surroundings, especially when it goes deeper and deeper into Brooklyn. I’ve seen my fair share of fights, verbal arguments and baby mama drama on this train. The train needs a serious upgrade, the trains look run-​down and just plain ugly to look at. The inside are filthy, littered with trash and smells like piss in some places. They need the new subway cars for this line, but I understand why they won’t want to use it considering the neighborhoods they go through and how fast they’ll get scraffiti and dirty.

Got on the A by mistake thinking it was the E, I was totally in my own world that day because once I realized the mistake at 59^th I had to ride all the way to 125^th with no stops in between!!! I was late for an appointment but fortunately the person i was meeting was 20 minutes late due to missing the 1 train from the ferry station. The ride can get sketchy once you cross into nyc’s hood under belly so keep a watchful eye on your belongings, don’t make too much eye contact, and don’t spark up any conversations lol the police presence is not felt after you get past certain stops. E TRAIN is faster depending on where you are and where you are trying to go.

Why the hell am I reviewing a train. Oh, yeah. It’s 2am, I can’t sleep and I can’t watch anymore porn.
Dirty, 90% of the workers are rude, never enough seats, always f’up on the weekends… and that’s the good stuff.
The only saving grace is that one conductor with the DJ voice in the am who always wishes you, «…a warm and cozy day»
Other then that, this train blows. But just like herpes we are stuck with it and have to make the best of it

First train I ever took so it holds a good experience and good memory for me as a tourist years ago. I did experience a little rowdiness in one car but I got to my stop safely. That was my only concern. This train kept me sharp and on my toes.

I live off of this subway line so I take it quite frequently. The only the subway line that comes and goes from JFK so you always see travelers on this line. It also runs both underground and above ground. Runs from JFK to Downtown Brooklyn and then up the West side of Manhatten into Harlem. If you are taking this line to JFK, remember you need to be on the Far Rockaway line. The A trains split in different directions at Rockway Blvd. One, Lefferts Blvd, goes to Lefferts Blvd and the other, Far Rockaway goes to Aquaduct, JFK and Far Rockaway.

This is my every day station. I take the a train every day. Not too many people so you can always catch a seat

I’m a one way ticket… you jumped on this train and now there is no going back… lots of people take this everyday to work or to the airport… watch out for rush hour… For a transit system that averages 5.4 million riders PER DAY… it’s pretty clean… I guess…

Why does the A train decide to take forever to pass by? Please, can someone let me know! The crazy thing is, the C and E train pass by much more frequently than the A so sometimes its just best to get on the local to wherever your going because the express isnt showing up.
They also dont run as frequently as the 1,2,3 4,5 and 6 trains. These trains mess up frequently too and often has service disrupted for planned work. The A barely goes through planeed service work but that doesn’t compensate foe waiting 13 mins for a train to show up during RUSH HOUR!!! If your in a hurry save yourself the panic and take the 1,2,3 line.

First nyc subway ride. Yes a a tourist you hear all kinds of things. None of it was seen. Very good service, clean. People in their own zone. Was surprised not to see a police presence. Will be back!!!

Love how quickly it moves during the morning rush hours. Faster than the 2 train for sure. Wish the A left me on 7^th avenue.
Unfortunate that it goes local in the evenings. But that’s the mta’s fault.

Why does this train pass through four or FIVE times before a C train appears? I need to take the C train to Broadway Junction in order to get to my school. Every time the C train I’m late yet the A train arrives very frequently. Okay one train is on its way to Lefferts Boulevard and the next on is going to Far Rockaway. I mean seriously, I wish this line was similar to the IND 2/​¾/​5 trains where the express trains also stop at Franklin Avenue. Unfortunately, this train gets the job done but the C is utter trash compared to this line.

The A Train is a necessary evil full of hits and misses. It is known to have one of the longest routes in the entire MTA subway system — servicing upper Manhattan through points just on the border of Queens and Long island. It is also to face many delays (usually because of the Broad Channel Bridge) and has a reputation of operating on its own schedule. The MTA tests out new trains on this line yet the line operates one of the oldest trains in the fleet. The train generally operates express but it still seems to take a year and a day in between express stops. (Seriously, 125^th to/​from 145^th it probably THE slowest stretch of track on the entire line.)
With all that being said, the A Train is still necessary. (Because of line consolidation) The A-​Train is the only line that services both the busy ports (Port Authority, JFK, Chelsea, WTC, etc) AND neighborhoods serviced by no other line (Far Rockaway, Breezy Point, Howard Beach, Ozone Park, etc.). Only when it goes away (disruptions, FastTrack, Hurricane Sandy, etc.) do we realize how important this line really is.

The A Train is my ace in the hole. I planned my whole move, apartment, and commuting experience in NYC around it. Work by 59^th Street Columbus Circle? Move to Harlem by St. Nicholas and 127^th street. Set.
Door to door in 15 minutes during the weekday. They run more than the D, the C, and the B trains too.
That’s not to say the A is not without it’s issues. Primary of them of course is that the line runs local after 11pm EVERY night. Also, When I go up to Hamilton or Wash Heights, there’s some crazy slowdown around 135^th street when hooking up with the D train. Lastly — going to BK? You’ll be track sharing with the C local from Chambers to Jay St.-Metrotech.
Yes, the cars are old, but not ‘C’ train old (and screechy, and just drab to look at). They’ quite comfortable — wider than the number line trains (IRT) with wood paneling like at an old relatives’ home. They actually resemble older LIRR/​Metro North trains. The reason they attract so many more ‘colorful (homeless, showtime, etc.) folk’ is because they are wide enough to dance, perform, pee, etc. on.
I remember from my youth how I wanted to ride them (we lived on the ‘2/​5′ line in the Bx so when I saw them or had the chance to ride them, I was in awe).
Now I proudly ride them every day.

A train sucks.
Seriously, it sucks Kaki.