True Commute Time
Google Maps assumes the MTA is running perfectly. Add realistic delays based on line performance data.
Realistic Door-to-Door
The CBTC Divide
Not all subway lines are created equal. The MTA is slowly upgrading the system to Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC), which allows trains to run closer together safely.
Lines with CBTC (currently the L and 7) have significantly higher on-time performance and faster recovery from delays. Lines relying on 1930s-era fixed-block signaling (like the A/C/E or N/Q/R/W) are far more susceptible to cascading delays.
The "Walk to the Platform" Tax
Navigation apps measure from street level. They often fail to account for the vertical commute—getting from the street, through the turnstile, and down to deep platforms (like the 190th St A train or the 63rd St F/Q). We automatically add a buffer to account for station friction.