How bad is the F?

The F, the six-borough dream

The F is the blue-and-orange line that runs from 179th Street in Queens, through Manhattan's Sixth Avenue trunk, down into Brooklyn, and all the way out to Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue — a full sweep of four boroughs on one train. It's the only line that links Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and a spit of Staten Island-adjacent Coney Island in a single route.

The F's distinct identity is the IND's far-flung express, and it's best known for the long tunnel under the East River that carries it between Manhattan and Brooklyn — a deep, winding bore that gives the F its 'island hopper' reputation. Riders who board in Queens and stay on past Jay Street–MetroTech get a subway ride that quite literally travels under the Harbor entrance and surfaces on the Coney Island peninsula.

Rider well-knowns: the F at rush hour is the line of Queens to the Village — the direct, no-transfer route that lands you in the West Village or SoHo without changing trains. Its southern end, past Avenue X and Kings Highway, runs elevated over some of Brooklyn's quietest neighborhoods, giving riders a rare above-ground coda to an otherwise underground marathon. And then there's the mechanical quirk everyone remembers: the F's curve near Jay Street is the sharpest on the system, the source of the screech that's become the F's signature sound.

The F is ambitious the way the A is, but quicker about it. It's the line you take when you want to cross the city in a single seat and you're willing to accept a little squeal along the way. On a good day the F is the best cross-borough ride in the system — and on a bad one, at least it's interesting.