Jamaica, Queens to Downtown Brooklyn by subway
Quick answer: Take a Manhattan-bound J train from Jamaica Center-York College to Broadway Junction, then take a Manhattan-bound A train from Broadway Junction to Jay St-MetroTech. The trip takes about 55 minutes door to door on a weekday (52 to 58 depending on the connection). The J train comes about every 8 minutes during the day. Every line on this trip runs all night.
Jamaica, Queens to Downtown Brooklyn
- J
- A
- J J trainFrom Jamaica Center-York College, Manhattan-bound14 stops, about 25 min
- Change at Broadway JunctionWalk about 9 min
- A A trainFrom Broadway Junction, Manhattan-bound4 stops, about 13 min
- Get off at Jay St-MetroTech
- Downtown BrooklynWalk about 3 min
Weekdays, fall 2026 MTA schedule · First and last trips
Step by step
- Take a Manhattan-bound J train from Jamaica Center-York College to Broadway Junction. It's 14 stops, about 25 minutes.
- At Broadway Junction, walk about 9 minutes to Broadway Junction for the A train.
- Take a Manhattan-bound A train from Broadway Junction to Jay St-MetroTech. It's 4 stops, about 13 minutes.
- From Jay St-MetroTech, walk about 3 minutes to Downtown Brooklyn.
Other ways to go
- Take a Manhattan-bound E train from Jamaica Center-York College to Forest Hills-71 Av, then take a Manhattan-bound F train from Forest Hills-71 Av to Jay St-MetroTech: about 57 minutes.
- Take a Manhattan-bound E or J train from Jamaica Center-York College to Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport, then take an LIRR train from Jamaica to Atlantic Terminal, then take the B67 bus from Flatbush Av/Atlantic Av to Jay St/Fulton St: about 52 minutes.
Which one is faster depends on when you leave. Cobblehop compares them with live times.
Times and frequency
From the MTA's fall 2026 schedule. Typical trip is the door to door time in the middle of the day.
| Day | First trip | Last trip | Typical trip | J train in the daytime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekdays | Runs all night | 55 min | About every 8 minutes | |
| Saturday | Runs all night | 56 min | About every 8 minutes | |
| Sunday | Runs all night | 54 min | About every 10 minutes | |
Late at night
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 71 minutes, and the J train comes about every 20 minutes.
Tips for this trip
- Know your stop. Get ready after Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts. The next stop is Jay St-MetroTech. Start a live trip in Cobblehop and it alerts you before your stop.
Step-free access
For the subway part of this trip: Jamaica Center-Parsons/Archer (J platform) is on the MTA's list of accessible stations; Broadway Junction (J platform) is not on the MTA's list of accessible stations; Broadway Junction (A platform) is not on the MTA's list of accessible stations; Jay St-MetroTech (A platform) is on the MTA's list of accessible stations. Elevators can be out of service, so check elevator status on mta.info before you go.
What it costs
- Subway and local bus: $3 per ride with OMNY (tap a contactless card or phone) or a MetroCard. One transfer within 2 hours to the subway or a local bus is included.
Fares as of November 2026. Check the official fares page before you ride.
Jamaica, Queens to Downtown Brooklyn: common questions
How do I get from Jamaica, Queens to Downtown Brooklyn by public transit?
Take a Manhattan-bound J train from Jamaica Center-York College to Broadway Junction, then take a Manhattan-bound A train from Broadway Junction to Jay St-MetroTech.
How long does it take?
About 55 minutes door to door on a weekday, 52 to 58 depending on the connection. On weekends it's about 56 minutes.
Do I have to change along the way?
Yes, once: at Broadway Junction.
Does it run all night?
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 71 minutes, and the J train comes about every 20 minutes.
How much does it cost?
Subway and local bus: $3 per ride with OMNY (tap a contactless card or phone) or a MetroCard. One transfer within 2 hours to the subway or a local bus is included.
Related routes
- Jamaica, Queens to Midtown Manhattan
- Jamaica, Queens to Financial District
- Jamaica, Queens to Long Island City
- JFK Airport to Downtown Brooklyn
- LaGuardia Airport to Downtown Brooklyn
- Williamsburg to Downtown Brooklyn
- All New York routes
Sources
Cobblehop is independent. It is not affiliated with the MTA or any transit agency. Schedules on this page come from the MTA's public GTFS data; check these pages for the latest service:
- MTA: developer data (the GTFS schedules used on this page)
- MTA: subway and bus fares
- MTA subway stations, with accessibility (data.ny.gov)
Transit data: Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Cobblehop is not affiliated with or endorsed by the MTA.
Published November 7, 2026. Times were computed from the MTA fall 2026 schedules for 2026-11-18 (weekday), 2026-11-21 and 2026-11-22. Planned work and holidays change service, so check Cobblehop for live times before you go.
Leaving now? Cobblehop gives you one clear plan with live times and alerts you before your stop.