Train travel in NYC can be a sticky situation during the summer, especially if you’re commuting on the hottest subway line.
From extreme humidity to heat waves, July and August can feel rough enough — throw in a broken A.C. on an old train and your 20-minute trip can feel like a lifetime.
If you’re curious where you local line stacks up — or if you think the information has been miscalculated due to personal experiences — we’ll tell you everything you need to know.
The hottest subway line in NYC goes to…
We’ve already uncovered the winner of the most unreliable subway line, the most relaxing subway line (believe it!), and other interesting superlatives. Now that the summer season is in full swing, we need to know what to take to stay cool.
Gothamist did a deep dive into MTA subway heat complaints from 2020 through mid-July of 2024 and found that the 1 train takes home the crown with temperatures hovering in the lower 90s. We apologize to those who are South Ferry and/or Riverdale-bound.
According to the publication’s findings, here’s where all of the lines in NYC stack up:
- 1 Train: 2,934 complaints
- 6 Train: 1,152 complaints
- 3 Train: 906 complaints
- Q Train: 403 complaints
- A Train: 390 complaints
- N Train: 374 complaints
- D Train: 327 complaints
- 2 Train: 236 complaints
- B Train: 235 complaints
- 5 Train: 160 complaints
- 4 Train: 149 complaints
- F Train: 109 complaints
- C Train: 107 complaints
- W Train: 76 complaints
- E Train: 69 complaints
- R Train: 65 complaints
- J Train: 60 complaints
- G Train: 54 complaints
- 7 Train: 53 complaints
- M Train: 42 complaints
- L Train: 39 complaints
- 42nd Street Shuttle: 20 complaints
- Staten Island railway: 16 complaints
- Franklin Ave Shuttle: 2 complaints
- Z Train: 2 complaints
Additionally, Gothamist reported that 285 cars were removed from service for broken air conditioners during the timeframe of their research, and 108 of those cars were the model used on the 1, 3 and 6 lines. Though it might come as no surprise: those cars with orange and yellow subway seats are the ones most likely to give you problems. (Sorry, folks — we know you love the nostalgia factor.)
Although we’re preparing for 144 straight hours of cloudy skies in NYC, temps are still going to soar, so plan your commutes accordingly.
If you need a little assistance, we’ve rounded up the best ways to stay cool during a heat wave and where to find your local cooling center
