Every buyer I meet has a wish list. Gym. Roof deck. A lobby that smells like a hotel.
Then they move in and live their entire life by one thing. Which train is closest.
Last weekend New York proved it. Loudly.
The NYC subway ridership record, in plain English
According to 6sqft on November 4, 2026, the subway carried 3.14 million riders on Sunday, November 1, Marathon Sunday. That is a new record for a Sunday. The old one was 2.8 million, set last year.
And the whole weekend went big:
1. Friday, October 30: 4.51 million riders, a post pandemic high for a Friday. 2. Saturday, October 31: 3.59 million riders, the highest Saturday since 2016. 3. Friday through Sunday: 11.24 million riders, a new post pandemic weekend record.
Halloween on Saturday. The marathon's 50th anniversary on Sunday. Roads closed. Costumes everywhere. And millions of New Yorkers did the obvious thing. They took the train.
Thursday, October 29 was busy too. 4.72 million riders, the highest post pandemic single day, up 9.7 percent from the same day last year.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber put it best: "when New York goes big, it goes by mass transit."
Why the train is the amenity that matters
Here's my take. You will use the roof deck a few times a summer. Lovely. Very chic.
You will use the train twice a day. Every day. In the rain. In heels. Late for dinner.
So when we tour, I want you looking at the walk to the station as hard as you look at the closets. The right line makes a great apartment feel even better. The wrong one turns it into a daily chore.
A few of my favorite examples:
1. In Williamsburg, life revolves around the L. Ask anyone who lives there. 2. Downtown in FiDi, you have a cluster of lines within a few blocks, which is a very big deal when one of them is acting up.
I won't tell you living near the train adds a specific dollar amount to a price. I don't have a verified number for that today, and I'm not making one up. What I can tell you is that buyers always ask about it, and renters always ask about it.
How close to the subway should I live in NYC?
Close enough that you'd still walk it in February. That's my honest answer.
Here's how I'd test it before you sign anything:
1. Do the walk from the front door to the platform. Time it. Then do it again at rush hour. 2. Ride your real commute on a weekday morning. Not on Google Maps. On the train. 3. Count your options. One line is a commute. Two or three nearby lines is a backup plan. 4. Check the weekend. Service changes happen, so look at how you'd get around on a Saturday. 5. Stand outside at night. Close to the station is great. Right on top of a busy entrance might be louder than you want.
What are the best NYC neighborhoods near the subway?
The best one is the one that fits your actual life. If you work in Midtown and dine downtown, that's a different map than if you work from home and live at the gym.
Tell me your weekday and your weekend, and I'll show you where the trains line up with both. That's the fun part.
FAQ
FAQ: What was the NYC subway ridership record on Marathon Sunday? The subway carried 3.14 million riders on Sunday, November 1, 2026, a new Sunday record, per 6sqft. The previous Sunday record was 2.8 million last year.
FAQ: How many people rode the subway over Halloween and Marathon weekend? From Friday, October 30 to Sunday, November 1, the MTA carried 11.24 million riders, a new post pandemic weekend record.
FAQ: How close to the subway should I live in NYC? Close enough that you'd walk it in bad weather. Time the walk at rush hour, ride your real commute and look for more than one line nearby.
FAQ: Does living near the subway raise the price of an apartment? Buyers and renters always ask about subway access, but I don't have a verified number for a specific price difference, so I'd look at comparable sales on your exact block instead.
Let's find your line
Gyms are nice. Roof decks are nice. The train is your life.
Shopping for a place and want a second set of eyes on the commute? Let's grab a coffee, or hop on a call. I have opinions about every line.
More from Sarah Cotty: buying a home, selling a home, and the market journal.