NYC Subway Ridership Just Hit a Pandemic-Era High
Nearly 3.5 million people rode the subway last Thursday.
After experiencing an Omicron-fueled slowdown, ridership on the New York City subway system is back to an all-time high for the pandemic era.
The MTA recently announced that last Thursday, May 5, saw 3,497,122 riders use the system in a 24-hour period. That's the most single-day riders since March 2020, when the city shut down due to the spread of COVID-19. At the time, the subway system was averaging around 5.5 million weekday riders.
The previous pandemic-era high was set back on December 9, 2021 when the subway carried just over 3.42 million people. Ridership plunged again shortly afterward due to the spread of the Omicron variant before picking back up at the start of 2022.
"New York City Transit is working around the clock to improve service, upgrade the system, and encourage riders to come back to public transit," said New York City Transit President Richard Davey in a press statement. "Optimal service, increasing frequency of trains, and maintaining strong on-time performance are our main focuses as we continue to hire train operators and bolster the transit system for the returning ridership. New Yorkers are returning to public transit because they know it is the most efficient, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective way to move around the city."
While questions about whether or not office workers will ever return in their full pre-pandemic numbers remain, the city has come a long way from the dark days of 2020 when the subway saw ridership drop by over 90%. The city is also expecting a significant tourism boost this year, with new hotel openings and a full slate of spring and summer cultural activities.