As Queens prepares for the most significant overhaul of its bus system in nearly 70 years, local residents are facing a mix of opportunities and challenges. New routes, faster trips, and major service changes go into effect starting June 30. With sweeping updates set to reshape daily commutes, we explain how the new network will affect your ride, your routine, and your neighborhood—and what you need to do now to stay ahead of the curve.
Ready or not, Queens—your bus ride is about to change.
Starting Monday, June 30, the MTA is rolling out the biggest shake-up to our borough’s bus system in nearly 70 years. It’s called the Queens Bus Network Redesign, and if you live in Kew Gardens Hills, Forest Hills, or Fresh Meadows, you’re going to notice.
For years, riders have complained about slow, winding, outdated bus routes that no longer match where people live and work. The MTA heard the message (eventually) and is finally delivering a cleaner, faster, and—hopefully—smarter system. But it means saying goodbye to some old habits and hello to a few new ones.
First, the good news: If you’re in Kew Gardens Hills and depend on the Q64 along Jewel Avenue, you can breathe easy. The route is sticking around, though a few stops will be spaced out to speed up your ride. You’ll also get two new options: the Q73, traveling across 73rd Avenue, and the Q74, a limited-stop sprint down Jewel Avenue to Queensborough Community College.
In Forest Hills, the trusty Q23 is getting a trim. Instead of stretching deep into Corona, it’ll now end at Corona Plaza. If you need to head farther north, the new Q14 will take over from there. Meanwhile, Forest Hills riders will get a quicker option eastbound with the new Q74.
Over in Fresh Meadows, big things are happening on Union Turnpike. The Q46 is shifting to a “zone express” model. That means express service from Queens Boulevard to 188th Street—then local stops beyond.
Across Queens, the MTA is launching 25 “Rush Routes” with limited stops, tweaking dozens of local lines, and consolidating hundreds of bus stops that were just too close together.
Changes are also coming to several express bus routes serving Queens. Riders on lines like the QM2, QM10, QM11, QM20, and QM44 will see minor adjustments, such as slight reductions in peak-hour frequency, more streamlined routing through Queens, and improved direct access to key employment areas in Manhattan. While service spans are being fine-tuned to match current demand, popular express connections from neighborhoods like Bay Terrace, Forest Hills, and Electchester will continue to operate, helping commuters maintain fast access to Midtown even as the local network evolves.
There’s also a bigger backdrop to all these changes. Manhattan’s congestion pricing plan is now live. Cars driving into the city’s core are paying new tolls—and that’s pushing more people to trains and buses.
Still, not everyone is celebrating. Seniors and community advocates have raised concerns about the longer distances between stops, worrying that older riders and those with disabilities could be left behind. In Kew Gardens Hills and Forest Hills, Jewish communal leaders are keeping a close watch, making sure access to shuls, yeshivos, and community centers remains strong.
To help everyone prepare, the MTA has posted new maps, signs, and even an online trip planner at mta.info/queensbus.
Phase 1 hits on June 30. Phase 2 follows right after Labor Day, on September 2.
Key Changes at a Glance:
Launch Date: Monday, June 30, 2025
Phase 1 Includes: 16 new routes, 67 modified routes, and 5 discontinued routes
Neighborhood Highlights:
Kew Gardens Hills: Q64 stays; new Q73
and Q74 debut.
Forest Hills: Q23 shortened; new Q14
and Q74 options.
Fresh Meadows: Q46 adds express service; new connections with Q74 and Q48.
Express Bus Updates:
QM2, QM10, QM11, QM20, and QM44
service adjusted for efficiency, with maintained Midtown connections.
Need to Plan?
Updated routes and trip-planning tools
are live at mta.info/queensbus.
By Shabsie Saphirstein
