Stopping New York Metro around the Clock: New Schedule and Alternative Transport

For the first time in the history of the New York subway, it will stop working around the clock. What is this connected with and what should passengers do, according to the website Spectrum News NY1.

When will the night trains stop running? What if you need to get somewhere at night? How long does the metro stop working? You will find answers to these and other questions below.

When will the metro be closed?

Starting on Wednesday, May 6, for the first time in the history of the metro in the Big Apple, it will stop working around the clock not for a day or two, but for a long period. The management of MTA, a New York city public transport company, said that at night, all stations and rolling stock cars would be more thoroughly disinfected due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Train traffic will be suspended daily from 01:00 a.m. to 05:00 a.m. Access to the station will be closed at this time.

According to the MTA, during these hours, the speed of trains decreases by 90%. However, the stopping of trains in the early morning hours will affect approximately 11 thousand passengers.

What other changes await passengers?

The change in schedule will affect only the work of the night subway in New York.

Long Island and Metro-North rail trains will also be thoroughly sanitized, but they will not stop at night.

What alternatives do passengers have?

To compensate passengers for the use of the night metro, the MTA will provide them with more than 300 additional buses and organize more than 1100 additional routes.

It is expected that as a result of this, the level of service on 61 bus routes will increase. This includes local and express routes, including on key lines serving hospitals. New Yorkers will now have easier access to hospitals such as: Bellevue in Manhattan, New York Presbyterian in Manhattan, St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, and Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens.

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In addition, workers in the city’s life support sectors can rely on free night trips organized by MTA. You can learn more about this and sign up. on this site.

When will the metro return to normal operation?

At the moment, there is no schedule for the metro to return to normal operation. The new schedule can last from six to 12 months - this is the period over which scientists plan to develop a vaccine for COVID-19.

Why are night routes closed?

Trains stop moving at night so that wagons and stations can be more thoroughly sanitized. This will prevent the spread of coronavirus and protect both subway workers and passengers.

Changes to the subway’s mode of operation were made after State Governor Andrew Cuomo instructed the MTA to create a plan to clean trains: they now need to be disinfected every 24 hours, instead of 72 hours.

Another reason for the closure of the night metro is that due to this, it will be possible to drive out the homeless from there with the help of social workers and the police. MTA management said that without such measures, thorough cleaning of trains would not have been possible.

At the moment, it is not clear whether these changes will entail more global changes in the work of the subway. MTA officials emphasized that complications are expected, but the agency will adapt to them as necessary.