As we approach the end of another year, we’re looking back and reflecting on some accomplishments—2025 was an eventful year for the MTA!
We’re endlessly thankful for our staff and our front-line employees for all of their hard work this year. Thanks to the efforts of our police partners, crime is down for the year. And of course, we're thankful to all of you for riding public transit this year.
Here are 25 things from 2025 that we’re proud of. (Don't miss a video highlighting these milestones, and more!)
🚦 We kicked off 2025 with a huge accomplishment: Congestion Relief Zone tolling launched on January 5! Since then, the program has delivered on its promise of reducing traffic in Manhattan, leading to safer streets, cleaner air, and improved travel times. Even better, the revenue generated by the program is already being used to upgrade transit, including buying new railcars and replacing outdated signals.
🚧 Speaking of major improvements, thanks to funding from the state budget, the 2025-2029 Capital Plan was approved, with a historic $68.4 billion earmarked for crucial repairs and system upgrades. Some of that work is now underway, notably progress on the Interborough Express, which moved into its next phase with the launch of the environmental review process.
🚉 Stations across our network got a glow up: We opened a new passageway at Grand Central-42 St that easily connects the to the , and an entirely new entrance and elevators at the Church Av . On Long Island, we unveiled major renovations at Valley Stream and Mastic-Shirley, and replaced the 128-year old Webster Avenue Bridge in Manhasset with a new one that’s safe, modern, and climate-resilient.
💡 Stations also got upgrades to improve safety: We installed more than 100 platform barriers in 2025, bringing the total number across the system to 115, and by the end of the year, every subway station will have brighter LED lighting.
🦺 Safety is a top priority for us every year, and thanks to our partnership with Gov. Kathy Hochul, 2025 was the safest year for the subway system in a generation. That achievement was a collaborative effort between the NYPD, MTA Police Department, and other partners, helped by a $77 million investment from New York State.
🗺️ We changed the map—literally. This spring, we unveiled a new subway diagram that provides riders with essential travel information in an easily readable and orderly manner. Its design was inspired by the iconic 1972 Vignelli diagram and incorporates elements from older versions of the map, such as the brand colors established by the 1979 and 1998 Hertz maps.
🟨 🟦 After 30 years of the MetroCard, we're moving on: The last day to purchase the iconic yellow and blue pass is December 31. But we sent the MetroCard off with a bang and invited other beloved New Yorkers—including celebs like Andy Cohen and Oscar the Grouch, and eateries like Zabar’s and Alidoro—to the party. We also loved seeing how riders celebrated the MetroCard, with zines, miniature vending machines, puppets, and more.
⭐ Now that we've said goodbye to the MetroCard, it's time to tap and ride! But don't just take it from us: Cardi B and Phish's Trey Anastasio recorded PSAs encouraging riders to get on board with contactless fare payments or the OMNY Card. Like Cardi said, "make sure you pay that fare and keep it real!"
🟧 We implemented the swap in December, changing which lines stop at which stations at eight and stations in Manhattan and Queens. This move will help reduce congestion and improve reliability for the 1.2 million riders who use the lines each day.
🏖️ Speaking of better service, Rockaway Line riders got the gift of a more dependable subway line in 2025: Several structures along the line, which carries the A train and Rockaway Park Shuttle, were completely rebuilt to update aging infrastructure and make the line more resilient. Now, trips to the beach will be more reliable for years to come.
🚏The service improvements also extended to buses: The Queens bus network got its first substantial update in decades this summer with the launch of the Queens Bus Network Redesign, an overhaul that has made commutes through the World’s Borough faster and more reliable. Next stop, Brooklyn!
🚆 Metro-North riders got speedier commutes with the launch of super-express service from Grand Central to Poughkeepsie, and the addition of more super express trains on the New Haven Line.
🛤️ Next stop, Albany! In October, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that service between Grand Central and Albany will launch next spring. This temporary service will connect Grand Central to the upper Hudson Valley and the Capital Region. Keep an eye out for more details in 2026.
🛗 More stations got a lift this year: Seven subway stations became fully accessible in 2025, bringing the total number of accessible subway stations to 154. Additionally, 39 elevator replacements were completed this year, more than double the previous record of 16 set in 2021. We also completed three major accessibility projects on the LIRR.
🚄 New train, who dis? Our R211 rollout sped up in 2025 with more of the modern railcars going into service on the and the lines (with the getting its first open gangway cars!), as well as the Staten Island Railway. New, more eco-friendly Siemens Charger locomotives also went into service on Metro-North's Hudson Line, offering better service with a smaller carbon footprint.
📱Getting help with transit issues 24/7 is now easier than ever. In the spring, we launched MTA app chat, with employees available all day or night to help with subway or bus issues in real time. We’ve also expanded our Customer Service Center footprint to 30 stations across the subway system, where station agents provide riders with hands-on support.
🧏 We expanded innovative solutions to make the transit system more accessible for all riders. Convo Access, which connects Deaf or Hard of Hearing riders with an ASL interpreter on demand, launched in 16 locations across the system. And NaviLens, which provides audio or visual travel information via its app, has rolled out in dozens of stations and on trains systemwide.
🎨 MTA Arts & Design celebrated its 40th anniversary as the steward of New York’s largest underground art museum. With 400 permanent artworks in stations throughout the MTA network—to say nothing of the musical performances, digital art commissions, and poetic moments riders encounters every year—Arts & Design ensures that art is available everywhere for everyone. (Want to keep up with what we’re doing in 2026? Sign up for the Arts & Design newsletter!)
🦖 We also partnered with artists to bring new life to vacant retail spaces in the subway system, including a dinosaur-themed bodega at Grand Army Plaza , a serene depiction of springtime at 5 Av/53 St , and a community-focused exhibit on East New York history at Euclid Av .
🐠 And thanks to a partnership with the American Museum of Natural History, one of the most famous subway art installations is now wearable: “For Want of a Nail,” which brings creatures and artifacts from the museum’s collection into the 81 St-Museum of Natural History subway station, inspired t-shirts, tote bags, pins, hats, and other limited-edition merch. Get it while it lasts!
🦪 A beloved institution returned when Tracks Raw Bar and Grill, whose original Penn Station location closed in 2019, opened a new eatery at Grand Central Madison. (Don't worry, Penn riders—a new location will reopen there soon!) It was just one of many exciting retailers that opened at MTA stations this year: The LIRR concourse at Penn Station got a Van Leeuwen, Neuhaus, and Pollo Campero, among others.
🛤️ Metro-North let riders behind the scenes during its Open House at New Haven Yard, where visitors got to tour the facility and see seven heritage railcars, which have been decorated to pay homage to various Metro-North trains over the past 40 years. (Want to stay updated on future events? Sign up for Mileposts, the Metro-North newsletter.)
🏅 Our commuter railroads helped move New Yorkers faster and more reliably than ever: Both the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad have consistently achieved near or above 97% on-time performance in 2025. Meanwhile, subway on-time performance held strong this year, hitting highs of 85.2% in May 2025, which was the highest non-pandemic month on record.
🚲 MTA leadership traded subways and buses for bikes while celebrating the completion of bike and pedestrian paths on the Robert F. Kennedy, Henry Hudson and Cross Bay bridges. The milestone came as part of our commitment to making it easier for people across the region to access our system by walking, biking, and using micromobility devices.
🎉 And finally, 2025 was another banner year for ridership, with records shattered across the subway, Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad, and even Access-A-Ride, which had its first ever million-trip month in October 2025. We also surpassed 3 billion trips taken using contactless payments—a major milestone as we fully transition to tap and ride.
Our mission going into 2026 remains the same: to provide fast, reliable, and safe service for all of our customers. Thank you, this year—and every year—for riding with us.