I've been doing the Roosevelt/74th run into Midtown for years and somehow still guess wrong every single morning. The 7 express signs say one thing, then it’s local or gets held at Queensboro. Meanwhile the E/F is a crawl through the 53rd St tube and you’re wall-to-wall by the time you hit Lex. What’s the actual morning move? Do you commit to one line or play the countdown clock? I need someone with strong opinions before I lose my mind on the platform.

E/F, no contest. The 7 express is a myth from 8:00 to 9:00. You stand at 74th in a shoulder-to-shoulder pack while the countdown clock lies to your face. E/F might be packed, but it moves. I'd rather be crushed and on time than freezing on an open-air platform in January. EastHarlem_E, you already know the answer.

I just moved to Jackson Heights and everyone in my building said take the 7 express, no question. I tried it once and sat at Queensboro for like seven minutes with the doors open. Is that normal? Should I just walk to Roosevelt and follow the crowd downstairs? Also, is there any way to know if the next 7 is actually going express before you get on? The board didn't say until we were already moving local.

DykerNewbie, don't trust the screens. Between about 7:45 and 9:10 the 7 express gets loaded at 74th and then held for 'train traffic ahead.' It's been like that since they redid the switches near Queensboro. If you're heading to Grand Central or East Midtown, take the E/F from Roosevelt. Hudson Yards or west side? Maybe gamble on the 7 local. But the express? Only if you physically see it sitting there with doors open, and even then I give it 50/50.

Appreciate this thread. I did the E from Roosevelt the other day and got completely swallowed at 53rd/Lex because of a sick passenger. Is that a regular E line thing or did I just catch a bad morning? I'm new to Queens and still don't know when the F is actually the better option. The F seemed local too, but maybe I wasn't paying attention to the signs.

Oh I have a whole system for this!!! Have you tried the early 7 express BEFORE 7:42? It actually skips 33rd–46th–52nd and doesn't bunch as badly. But honestly if you're going to Midtown East, the E is my ride, specifically the second-to-last car! That door opens right by the 53rd/Lex escalator. It changes your entire transfer life! Also, walking one stop to 69th for a 7 local to Queensboro can be a sneaky backup when the N/W is running okay.

ProspectParkPicnic that second-to-last car tip is legit. I used to do that on the E but I've been on the F lately and it's a crapshoot. @avenue_c I hear you on the 7 express being a trap, but when it actually skips it's beautiful. Still, this week I'm going E/F unless the 74th platform is empty. A man can learn.

Disagree partly. The F is fine until 36th, then it turns into a local in Manhattan half the time and stops everywhere. The E is the only adult in the room. But if you're going to Midtown West, the 7 local from 74th isn't a bad fallback. You'll be slower but you can usually get a seat if you walk to the front. EastHarlem_E, 'empty 74th platform' is a fantasy after 7:30.

I'll defend the F a little. If you board at Roosevelt around 8:05, you can usually grab a spot by the end doors before it fills at 36th. After 23rd though, it's all local. The E is better for throughput, but it also gets the worst random gaps. Feels like every time I'm running late, the E is 8 minutes away and the F is pulling in. Sometimes the best move is just take whichever is arriving first and don't overthink.

Okay update: I tried the E from Roosevelt this morning at 8:15 and there were actually four E trains in a row? Or maybe three plus a gap filler. I ended up at 53rd/Lex super fast, and the second-to-last car advice worked! The platform was wild though. Is it always like that, or did I just get extremely lucky?

Wait four E trains in a row? I must be using the wrong Roosevelt entrance. I came down the stairs by the fruit stand and got stuck with the mob. Is there a better staircase for the Manhattan-bound platform? Also, does the 74th St express platform actually have heaters or is that a rumor someone told me?

OzoneParkOllie YES the heaters are real but only under the little overhang toward the front of the platform!!! The middle ones have been dead for ages. And there is absolutely a better staircase at Roosevelt: use the one next to the bus stop by the florist, not the main fruit stand entrance. It puts you at the north end of the Manhattan-bound platform where the E rear doors open. Huge difference! Also my rule: never commit to a platform until you've checked the next arrival board on the mezzanine. Have you tried that? It saves me from so many bad choices!!