Wait Times On N, R Subway Lines Shortened By 2 Minutes: MTA

BROOKLYN, NY — Wait times on the N and R lines will be shorter during the daytime on weekdays, with maximum wait times capping at eight minutes, officials announced Tuesday.

Brooklynites can say goodby to 10-12 minute wait times midday, officials announced Tuesday at the Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center subway station.

"The joke for a long time has been that the R and the N stand for rarely and never, but those days are over," state Senator Andrew Gounardes said.

On average, straphangers will wait four minutes for trains midday, said Richard Davey, President of New York City Transit.

"It doesn't sound like a lot but these minutes add up," Davey said.

And the demand is high. New York City subway ridership has bounced back to 75 percent of pre-Covid numbers, and more and more Brooklynites have been riding in the so-called white collar rush hour and midday, according to Davey and Gounardes.

"[Straphangers] continue to tell us that one of the top things that will get them to ride more is shorter wait times," Davey said.

In June, officials announced shortened wait times on the G, J and M lines on the weekends, maxing out at 10 minutes.

The key metrics for determining the feasibility of a service increase include availability of conductors and train operators, fleet capacity and construction, Davey said.