The designation B was originally intended to designate express trains originating in the Washington Heights

Washington Heights, Manhattan

Washington Heights is a New York City neighborhood in the northern reaches of the borough of Manhattan. It is named for Fort Washington, a fortification constructed at the highest point on Manhattan island by Continental Army troops during the American Revolutionary War, to defend the area from the...

 neighborhood of Manhattan and operating in Midtown Manhattan

Midtown Manhattan

Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...

 on the IND Sixth Avenue Line

IND Sixth Avenue Line

The Sixth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in the United States. It runs mainly under Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, and continues south through the Rutgers Street Tunnel to Brooklyn...

. However, the original B service, beginning with the opening of the Sixth Avenue Line in 1940 and continuing until opening of the Chrystie Street Connection

Chrystie Street Connection

The Chrystie Street Connection is a major connecting line of the New York City Subway, and is one of the few connections between lines of the BMT and IND divisions...

 in 1967, ran only as a rush-hour local between 168th Street – Washington Heights and 34th Street – Herald Square. This service was designated BB in conformance with Independent Subway System

Independent Subway System

The Independent Subway System , formerly known as the Independent City-Owned Subway System or the Independent City-Owned Rapid Transit Railroad, was a rapid transit rail system in New York City that is now part of the New York City Subway...

 protocol of using double letters to indicate local services.

Subsequent to the opening of the Chrystie Street Connection, the former BB trains were combined with the former service of the BMT West End Line

BMT West End Line

The BMT West End Line is a line of the New York City Subway, serving the Brooklyn, communities of Borough Park, New Utrecht, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach and Coney Island. The D train operates on the line at all times, providing service to Manhattan and the Bronx via the IND Sixth Avenue Line...

, creating a through service from Washington Heights

Washington Heights, Manhattan

Washington Heights is a New York City neighborhood in the northern reaches of the borough of Manhattan. It is named for Fort Washington, a fortification constructed at the highest point on Manhattan island by Continental Army troops during the American Revolutionary War, to defend the area from the...

 to Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue. This service was initially to have been signed BT but was simply signed B instead. Starting July 1, 1968, the B had its Manhattan terminal at 57th Street

57th Street (IND Sixth Avenue Line)

57th Street is a station on the IND Sixth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 57th Street and Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, it is served by the F train at all times...

 during non-rush hour daytime hours, bypassing 57th Street and extending to 168th Street only during rush hours.

The partial closure of the Manhattan Bridge

Manhattan Bridge

The Manhattan Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses the East River in New York City, connecting Lower Manhattan with Brooklyn . It was the last of the three suspension bridges built across the lower East River, following the Brooklyn and the Williamsburg bridges...

 to subway service between 1986 and 2004 affected B service by severing the connection between the northern and southern portions of the route. Beginning on April 26, 1986, the northern B (via Sixth Avenue, informally called "Orange B") and the southern B (via the BMT Broadway Line

BMT Broadway Line

The BMT Broadway Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in Manhattan, New York City, United States. , it is served by three services, all colored yellow: the on the express tracks and the on the local tracks...

, informally called "Yellow B") operated as two different services. The Orange B more or less duplicated the former BB service, and the Yellow B imitated the old service.
The former B service resumed December 11, 1988. On October 29, 1989, the IND 63rd Street Line

IND 63rd Street Line

The IND 63rd Street Line is a rapid transit line of the IND division of the New York City Subway system. It runs from the IND Sixth Avenue Line at 57th Street east under 63rd Street and the East River through the 63rd Street Tunnel to the IND Queens Boulevard Line in Queens...

 opened, extending service to 21st Street – Queensbridge. B service ran through this new line on weekends. A year later, it would also run here on weekday evenings.

On April 30, 1995, the north side of the Manhattan Bridge

Manhattan Bridge

The Manhattan Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses the East River in New York City, connecting Lower Manhattan with Brooklyn . It was the last of the three suspension bridges built across the lower East River, following the Brooklyn and the Williamsburg bridges...

 was closed on midday and weekends until the following November. During this time, B trains ran only between Atlantic Avenue – Pacific Street and Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue, running local on the BMT West End Line

BMT West End Line

The BMT West End Line is a line of the New York City Subway, serving the Brooklyn, communities of Borough Park, New Utrecht, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach and Coney Island. The D train operates on the line at all times, providing service to Manhattan and the Bronx via the IND Sixth Avenue Line...

 and express on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line

BMT Fourth Avenue Line

The Fourth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the BMT division of the New York City Subway, mainly running under Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn. Fourth Avenue never had a streetcar line or elevated railway due to the provisions of the assessment charged to neighboring property owners when the street...

.

On February 22, 1998, B service was cut to 57th Street

57th Street (IND Sixth Avenue Line)

57th Street is a station on the IND Sixth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 57th Street and Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, it is served by the F train at all times...

 on evenings and weekends as a result of the reconstruction of the IND 63rd Street Line

IND 63rd Street Line

The IND 63rd Street Line is a rapid transit line of the IND division of the New York City Subway system. It runs from the IND Sixth Avenue Line at 57th Street east under 63rd Street and the East River through the 63rd Street Tunnel to the IND Queens Boulevard Line in Queens...

. Service on that line was replaced by a shuttle

63rd Street Shuttle

The 63rd Street Shuttle was a name given to three shuttle trains that served the IND 63rd Street Line on the New York City Subway during various times from 1997 to 2001.-63rd Street Shuttle – 1997:...

 to the BMT Broadway Line

BMT Broadway Line

The BMT Broadway Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in Manhattan, New York City, United States. , it is served by three services, all colored yellow: the on the express tracks and the on the local tracks...

.

On March 1, 1998, the B and the switched northern terminals, ending the connection between the B and Washington Heights

Washington Heights, Manhattan

Washington Heights is a New York City neighborhood in the northern reaches of the borough of Manhattan. It is named for Fort Washington, a fortification constructed at the highest point on Manhattan island by Continental Army troops during the American Revolutionary War, to defend the area from the...

. The B was now routed onto the IND Concourse Line

IND Concourse Line

The Concourse Line is an IND subway branch line of the New York City Subway system. It runs from Norwood – 205th Street in Norwood, Bronx to 145th Street in Harlem, Manhattan. It is the only "B" Division and only fully underground line in the Bronx....

 during rush hours.

In 2000, B service was taken off of the IND 63rd Street Line

IND 63rd Street Line

The IND 63rd Street Line is a rapid transit line of the IND division of the New York City Subway system. It runs from the IND Sixth Avenue Line at 57th Street east under 63rd Street and the East River through the 63rd Street Tunnel to the IND Queens Boulevard Line in Queens...

 for signal and track work. It now ran along Central Park West

Central Park West

Central Park West is an avenue that runs north-south in the New York City borough of Manhattan, in the United States....

 to 145th Street (Bedford Park Boulevard

Bedford Park Boulevard (IND Concourse Line)

Bedford Park Boulevard is an express station on the IND Concourse Line of the New York City Subway.The station has three tracks with two island platforms. At the south end, exit is to the underpass or up-stairs to the Grand Concourse. Tile colors are lawn green with a darker green border, and there...

 during rush hours) at all times except late nights.

On July 22, 2001, B service over the Manhattan Bridge

Manhattan Bridge

The Manhattan Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses the East River in New York City, connecting Lower Manhattan with Brooklyn . It was the last of the three suspension bridges built across the lower East River, following the Brooklyn and the Williamsburg bridges...

 was again interrupted and service recast similarly to the 1986 changes. However, this time the West End Line portion of the run was redesignated as the . B service ran weekdays only, to Bedford Park Boulevard during rush hours and 145th Street during middays and evenings.

On February 22, 2004, the Manhattan Bridge was fully reopened to subway service. B trains were extended through Grand Street

Grand Street (IND Sixth Avenue Line)

Grand Street is a station in Manhattan on the IND Sixth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. It was one of two stations added in 1967–68 as part of the Chrystie Street Connection . It is served by the D at all times and the B on weekdays.The station has two tracks and two narrow side platforms...

 station and over the north tracks of the Manhattan Bridge into Brooklyn, replacing the Diamond as the Brighton Express

BMT Brighton Line

The BMT Brighton Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in Brooklyn, New York City, United States. Local service is provided at all times by the Q train. The Q is joined by the B express train on weekdays...

 to Brighton Beach.

From September 14, 2009 to October 3, 2011, B trains ran local in Brooklyn due to a station reconstruction project on the Brighton Line.

Service pattern

The following table shows the lines used by the B service, with shaded boxes indicating the route at the specified times:

Line	From	To	Tracks	Times
				week days	rush hours
IND Concourse Line IND Concourse Line The Concourse Line is an IND subway branch line of the New York City Subway system. It runs from Norwood – 205th Street in Norwood, Bronx to 145th Street in Harlem, Manhattan. It is the only "B" Division and only fully underground line in the Bronx....	Bedford Park Boulevard Bedford Park Boulevard (IND Concourse Line) Bedford Park Boulevard is an express station on the IND Concourse Line of the New York City Subway.The station has three tracks with two island platforms. At the south end, exit is to the underpass or up-stairs to the Grand Concourse. Tile colors are lawn green with a darker green border, and there...	145th Street	local
IND Eighth Avenue Line IND Eighth Avenue Line The Eighth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line in New York City, United States, and is part of the B Division of the New York City Subway...	145th Street	59th Street – Columbus Circle
IND Sixth Avenue Line IND Sixth Avenue Line The Sixth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in the United States. It runs mainly under Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, and continues south through the Rutgers Street Tunnel to Brooklyn...	59th Street – Columbus Circle	Broadway – Lafayette Street	express
Chrystie Street Connection Chrystie Street Connection The Chrystie Street Connection is a major connecting line of the New York City Subway, and is one of the few connections between lines of the BMT and IND divisions...	Grand Street Grand Street (IND Sixth Avenue Line) Grand Street is a station in Manhattan on the IND Sixth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. It was one of two stations added in 1967–68 as part of the Chrystie Street Connection . It is served by the D at all times and the B on weekdays.The station has two tracks and two narrow side platforms...		all
Manhattan Bridge Manhattan Bridge The Manhattan Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses the East River in New York City, connecting Lower Manhattan with Brooklyn . It was the last of the three suspension bridges built across the lower East River, following the Brooklyn and the Williamsburg bridges...			north
BMT Brighton Line BMT Brighton Line The BMT Brighton Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in Brooklyn, New York City, United States. Local service is provided at all times by the Q train. The Q is joined by the B express train on weekdays...	DeKalb Avenue	Brighton Beach Brighton Beach (BMT Brighton Line) Brighton Beach is an express/terminal station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. It is located over Brighton Beach Avenue at Brighton Sixth Street in the community of Brighton Beach on Coney Island in Brooklyn.- Description:...	express

Stations

For a more detailed station listing, see the articles on the lines listed above.

	Stations		Subway transfers	Connections/Other Notes
Bronx
	Bedford Park Boulevard Bedford Park Boulevard (IND Concourse Line) Bedford Park Boulevard is an express station on the IND Concourse Line of the New York City Subway.The station has three tracks with two island platforms. At the south end, exit is to the underpass or up-stairs to the Grand Concourse. Tile colors are lawn green with a darker green border, and there...
	Kingsbridge Road Kingsbridge Road (IND Concourse Line) Kingsbridge Road is an express station on the IND Concourse Line of the New York City Subway. It is served by the D train at all times and the B train during rush hours only. It has three tracks and two island platforms....
	Fordham Road Fordham Road (IND Concourse Line) Fordham Road is an express station on the IND Concourse Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Fordham Road and Grand Concourse in one of the largest shopping districts in New York City, it is served by the D train at all times and B during rush hours only.It is the...			Bx12 Select Bus Service
	182nd–183rd Streets
	Tremont Avenue Tremont Avenue (IND Concourse Line) Tremont Avenue is an express station on the IND Concourse Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of East Tremont Avenue and Grand Concourse, it is served by the D train at all times and B train during rush hours only...
	174th–175th Streets
	170th Street 170th Street (IND Concourse Line) 170th Street is a local station on the IND Concourse Line of the New York City Subway, located at the Grand Concourse between East 170th and 171st Streets in the Bronx. It is served by the D train at all times except rush hours in the peak direction and the B train during rush hours.This...
	167th Street 167th Street (IND Concourse Line) 167th Street is a local station on the IND Concourse Line of the New York City Subway. Located at 167th Street and Grand Concourse in The Bronx, it is served by the D train at all times except rush hours in peak direction and the B train during rush hours.This underground station, opened on July 1,...
	161st Street – Yankee Stadium		(IRT Jerome Avenue Line IRT Jerome Avenue Line The IRT Jerome Avenue Line, also unofficially known as IRT Woodlawn Line, is a New York City Subway Line along Jerome Avenue in the Bronx. It was opened on June 2, 1917 as a shuttle service between Kingsbridge Road and 149th Street. This was in advance of through service to the IRT Lexington Avenue... )
Manhattan Manhattan Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
	155th Street 155th Street (IND Concourse Line) 155th Street is a local station on the IND Concourse Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 155th Street and Eighth Avenue, it is served by the D train at all times except rush hours in peak direction and the B during rush hours only.This underground station, opened on...
	145th Street		(IND Eighth Avenue Line IND Eighth Avenue Line The Eighth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line in New York City, United States, and is part of the B Division of the New York City Subway... )
	135th Street 135th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line) 135th Street is a local station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 135th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue in Manhattan, it is served by the C train at all times except late nights, B train during weekdays, and A train during late nights.This is...
	125th Street 125th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line) 125th Street is an express station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 125th Street and St...			M60 bus to LaGuardia Airport LaGuardia Airport LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally...
	116th Street 116th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line) 116th Street is a local station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 116th Street and 8th Avenue in the Manhattan neighborhood of Harlem, it is served by the C train at all times except late nights, and the B train on weekdays...
	Cathedral Parkway – 110th Street
	103rd Street 103rd Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line) 103rd Street is a local station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at West 103rd Street and Central Park West on the Upper West Side, it is served by the C train at all times except late nights, when the A train replaces it...
	96th Street 96th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line) 96th Street is a local station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. It is served by the C train at all except late nights when the A train replaces it...
	86th Street 86th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line) 86th Street is a local station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway, located at Central Park West and 86th Street. It is served by the C train at all times except late nights, when it is replaced by the A train...
	81st Street – Museum of Natural History
	72nd Street 72nd Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line) 72nd Street is a local station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at 72nd Street and Central Park West on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, it is served by the C train at all times except late nights, when the A train replaces it...
	59th Street – Columbus Circle		(IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line)
	Seventh Avenue		(IND Queens Boulevard Line IND Queens Boulevard Line The Queens Boulevard Line is a fully underground line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in Manhattan and Queens, New York City, United States. The line provides crosstown service across Manhattan under 53rd Street and east through Queens to Jamaica... )
	47th–50th Streets – Rockefeller Center
	42nd Street – Bryant Park		(IRT Flushing Line IRT Flushing Line The Flushing Line is a rapid transit route of the New York City Subway system, operated as part of the IRT Division and designated the 7 route...  at Fifth Avenue – Bryant Park)
	34th Street – Herald Square		(BMT Broadway Line BMT Broadway Line The BMT Broadway Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in Manhattan, New York City, United States. , it is served by three services, all colored yellow: the on the express tracks and the on the local tracks... )	M34 / M34A Select Bus Service PATH Port Authority Trans-Hudson PATH, derived from Port Authority Trans-Hudson, is a rapid transit railroad linking Manhattan, New York City with Newark, Harrison, Hoboken and Jersey City in metropolitan northern New Jersey...  at 33rd Street 33rd Street (PATH station) The 33rd Street PATH station, opened on November 10, 1910, is located on Sixth Avenue , between 32nd and 33rd Streets in Manhattan, under Greeley Square and just south of Herald Square....
	West Fourth Street – Washington Square		(IND Eighth Avenue Line IND Eighth Avenue Line The Eighth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line in New York City, United States, and is part of the B Division of the New York City Subway... )	PATH Port Authority Trans-Hudson PATH, derived from Port Authority Trans-Hudson, is a rapid transit railroad linking Manhattan, New York City with Newark, Harrison, Hoboken and Jersey City in metropolitan northern New Jersey...  at 9th Street
	Broadway – Lafayette Street		(IRT Lexington Avenue Line IRT Lexington Avenue Line The Lexington Avenue Line is one of the lines of the IRT division of the New York City Subway, stretching from Downtown Brooklyn or Lower Manhattan north to 125th Street in East Harlem. The portion in Lower and Midtown Manhattan was part of the first subway line in New York...  at Bleecker Street Bleecker Street (IRT Lexington Avenue Line) Bleecker Street is a local station on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of Lafayette and Bleecker Streets in the NoHo neighborhood of Manhattan... ; transfer to downtown trains only)
	Grand Street Grand Street (IND Sixth Avenue Line) Grand Street is a station in Manhattan on the IND Sixth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. It was one of two stations added in 1967–68 as part of the Chrystie Street Connection . It is served by the D at all times and the B on weekdays.The station has two tracks and two narrow side platforms...
Brooklyn Brooklyn Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
	DeKalb Avenue
	Atlantic Avenue		(BMT Fourth Avenue Line BMT Fourth Avenue Line The Fourth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the BMT division of the New York City Subway, mainly running under Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn. Fourth Avenue never had a streetcar line or elevated railway due to the provisions of the assessment charged to neighboring property owners when the street... ) (IRT Eastern Parkway Line IRT Eastern Parkway Line IRT Eastern Parkway Line and New Lots Line can refer to:* IRT Eastern Parkway Line* IRT New Lots Line... )	LIRR Long Island Rail Road The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...  Atlantic Branch at Atlantic Terminal
	Seventh Avenue Seventh Avenue (BMT Brighton Line) Seventh Avenue is a station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of Seventh Avenue and Flatbush Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn. It is served by the Q train at all times and the B train on weekdays...
	Prospect Park Prospect Park (BMT Brighton Line) Prospect Park is an express station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Empire Boulevard and Flatbush Avenue in Flatbush, Brooklyn, near the border of Crown Heights, Brooklyn, it is served by the Q and Franklin Avenue Shuttle trains at all times and the B train on...		(BMT Franklin Avenue Line BMT Franklin Avenue Line The BMT Franklin Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the New York City Subway in Brooklyn, New York... )
	Church Avenue Church Avenue (BMT Brighton Line) Church Avenue is an express station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway, located at Church Avenue near East 18th Street in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn.The station has four tracks and two island platforms...
	Newkirk Plaza
	Kings Highway Kings Highway (BMT Brighton Line) Kings Highway is an express station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. Served by the Q train at all times and by the B on weekdays, it is located at Kings Highway between East 15th and East 16th Streets on the border of Midwood and Sheepshead Bay neighborhoods of Brooklyn.This...
	Sheepshead Bay Sheepshead Bay (BMT Brighton Line) Sheepshead Bay is an express station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. It is located in the Sheepshead Bay neighborhood of Brooklyn. It is served by the Q train at all times and by the B train on weekdays....
	Brighton Beach Brighton Beach (BMT Brighton Line) Brighton Beach is an express/terminal station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. It is located over Brighton Beach Avenue at Brighton Sixth Street in the community of Brighton Beach on Coney Island in Brooklyn.- Description:...

External links

• MTA NYC Transit – B Sixth Avenue Express – Effective October 3, 2011