The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) operates 80 express bus routes in New York City, United States. All express routes are assigned multi-borough (BM, BxM, QM, SIM) prefixes, except four routes operated by New York City Transit in Brooklyn, which are prefixed with the letter X.
The unidirectional fare, payable with MetroCard or OMNY, a contactless payment system, is $7.25. Discount fare media is available. Except for the ad-hoc X80 service, coins are not accepted on express buses.
Express buses operate using over-the-road diesel-powered, 45-ft-long coaches, from Motor Coach Industries and Prevost Car. For more information, visit the fleet page.
Manhattan to Staten Island
Most routes travel to and from Staten Island via the Verrazzano–Narrows Bridge, Gowanus Expressway, and Hugh L. Carey Tunnel into Lower Manhattan. Some routes operate through New Jersey via the Goethals Bridge, New Jersey Turnpike, New Jersey Route 495, and Lincoln Tunnel to directly serve Midtown Manhattan.
On August 19, 2018, all of the Staten Island-Manhattan express bus routes were redesigned to offer simpler and direct routes, fewer stops to speed up the trips, and additional service for off-peak hours and weekends. The new routes originally planned consists of 21 express routes: 11 traveling to Midtown, 8 traveling to Downtown and 2 traveling to Greenwich Village via Battery Park City. The previously used "X" routes have been dropped in favor of "SIM," or Staten Island to Manhattan, routes. This was the result of the two-year Staten Island Bus Study conducted by MTA, launched in 2015, which analyzed trip performance data, ridership profiles and extensive customer input, to determine the most effective way to reconfigure the network.http://nymta.civicconnect.com/ "We're Speeding Up Staten Island" MTAhttps://www.silive.com/news/2018/06/mta_board_approves_express_bus.html "MTA board approves express bus redesign, new network to take effect Aug. 19" silive.com - June 21, 2018
All routes are operated by New York City Transit. All routes run during rush hours in the peak direction. In addition, the SIM1C, SIM3C, SIM4C and SIM33C provide off-peak weekday and weekend service, and the SIM1C provides overnight service. These four -C routes cover most stops in Manhattan served by other routes during peak hours.
Route Manhattan terminal Staten Island terminal Manhattan streetsVia Staten Island streets traveledGreenwich VillageSixth Avenue and Houston Street (last drop-off)Broadway and Houston Street (first pick-up)←AM→PMEltingville Transit CenterChurch Street (northbound) Broadway (southbound)Verrazzano–Narrows Bridge, Gowanus Expressway and Hugh L. Carey TunnelHylan Boulevard, Richmond Avenue*MidtownCentral Park South and Sixth Avenue↔ Church Street, Sixth Avenue (northbound) Fifth Avenue, Broadway (southbound)DowntownChurch Street and Worth Street (last drop-off)Broadway and Warren Street (first pick-up)←AM→PMTottenvilleCraig Avenue and Hylan BoulevardChurch Street (northbound) Broadway (southbound)Arden Avenue, Woodrow Road, Huguenot Avenue, Hylan BoulevardMidtownCentral Park South and Sixth AvenuePort RichmondCastleton Avenue and Jewett AvenueSixth Avenue (northbound) Fifth Avenue (southbound) 23rd StreetNarrows Road (SIM3c only) Victory Boulevard, Watchogue Road, Port Richmond Avenue ↔ Church Street, Sixth Avenue (northbound) Fifth Avenue, Broadway (southbound)DowntownChurch Street and Worth Street (last drop-off)Broadway and Chambers Street (first pick-up)←AM→PMAnnadaleAnnadale Road and Drumgoole Road WestChurch Street (northbound) Broadway (southbound) Richmond AvenueMidtownSixth Avenue and 59th Street↔ HuguenotBoulder Avenue and Woodrow Road (last drop-off)Vineland Avenue and Woodrow Road (first pick-up)Church Street, Sixth Avenue, Madison Avenue (northbound) Fifth Avenue, Broadway (southbound)DowntownPearl Street and Peck Slip (last drop-off)Pearl Street and Frankfort Street (first pick-up)←AM→PMEltingville Transit CenterWater StreetFather Capodanno Boulevard, Hylan Boulevard, Nelson AvenueMidtownLexington Avenue and 57th Street (last drop-off)Lexington Avenue and 56th Street (first pick-up)Madison Avenue (northbound) Lexington Avenue (southbound) 23rd StreetGreenwich VillageSixth Avenue and 14th Street (last drop-off)Broadway and 13th Street (first pick-up)Sixth Avenue (northbound) Broadway, Houston Street (southbound) West StreetNarrows Road, Hylan Boulevard, Richmond AvenueMidtown57th Street and Lexington AvenueHuguenotWoodrow Road and Huguenot Avenue42nd Street Madison Avenue (northbound) Fifth Avenue (southbound)Goethals Bridge, NJ Turnpike, and Lincoln TunnelGoethals Road Richmond Avenue, Woodrow RoadGreenwich VillageSixth Avenue and 14th Street (last drop-off)Broadway and 13th Street (first pick-up)EltingvilleHylan Boulevard and Richmond AvenueSixth Avenue (northbound) Broadway, Houston Street (southbound) West StreetVerrazzano–Narrows Bridge, Gowanus Expressway and Hugh L. Carey TunnelFather Capodanno Boulevard, Hylan BoulevardMidtownCentral Park South and Sixth AvenueEltingville Transit CenterSixth Avenue (northbound) Fifth Avenue (southbound) 23rd StreetNarrows Road, Hylan Boulevard, Richmond AvenueMidtownLexington Avenue and 57th Street (last drop-off)Lexington Avenue and 56th Street (first pick-up)New DorpEbbitts Street and Mill RoadMadison Avenue (northbound) Lexington Avenue (southbound) 23rd StreetNarrows Road, Hylan BoulevardDowntownWater Street and Hanover Square (last drop-off)Trinity Place and Rector Street (first pick-up)Eltingville Transit CenterChurch Street, Water StreetNarrows Road, Richmond Road, Arthur Kill RoadMidtown57th Street and Lexington AvenueEltingvilleWoods of Arden Road and Hylan BoulevardMadison Avenue (northbound) Lexington Avenue (southbound) 42nd StreetGoethals Bridge, NJ Turnpike, and Lincoln TunnelArthur Kill Road, Richmond Avenuehttp://www.academybus.com/getattachment/9c1dee21-cd05-4fdd-9b63-a1b40a64ab0c/SIM-23.aspx Academy Bus SIM23MidtownMadison Avenue and 59th Street (last drop-off)Fifth Avenue and 59th Street (first pick-up)AnnadalePoillion Avenue and Hylan BoulevardMadison Avenue (northbound) Fifth Avenue (southbound) 34th StreetArden Avenuehttp://www.academybus.com/getattachment/b114c4c5-7fd5-4235-b904-be7d8c7722b3/SIM-24.aspx Academy Bus SIM24HuguenotHylan Boulevard and Luten AvenueHylan BoulevardMidtown57th Street and Lexington AvenueTottenvilleCraig Avenue and Hylan BoulevardMadison Avenue (northbound) Fifth Avenue (southbound) 42nd StreetRossville Avenue, Foster Road, Hylan BoulevardTottenvillePage Avenue and Hylan Boulevard (last drop-off)Bedell Avenue and Hylan Boulevard (first pick-up)Madison Avenue (northbound) Lexington Avenue (southbound) 42nd StreetBloomingdale Road, Amboy Road, Hylan BoulevardMidtownSixth Avenue and 59th StreetSunnysideClove Road and Victory BoulevardMadison Avenue (northbound) Fifth Avenue (southbound) 42nd StreetForest Avenue Victory Boulevard (Sunnyside service) Tompkins Avenue (Rosebank service)RosebankTompkins Avenue and Hylan BoulevardMidtown57th Street and Lexington AvenueEltingville Transit CenterMadison Avenue (northbound) Fifth Avenue (southbound) 23rd StreetVerrazzano–Narrows Bridge, Gowanus Expressway and Hugh L. Carey TunnelGannon Avenue, Bradley Avenue, Harold Street, Forest Hill Road, Travis AvenueDowntownChurch Street and Worth Street (last drop-off)Broadway and Warren Street (first pick-up)TravisVictory Boulevard bus loopChurch Street (northbound) Broadway (southbound)Gannon Avenue, Victory BoulevardDowntownSixth Avenue and 14th Street (last drop-off)Broadway and 13th Street (first pick-up) Mariners HarborSouth Avenue and Richmond TerraceSixth Avenue (northbound) Broadway, Houston Street (southbound) West StreetNarrows Road (SIM33C only) Gannon Avenue, Richmond Avenue, Forest AvenueMidtownCentral Park South and Sixth Avenue↔ Church Street, Sixth Avenue, Madison Avenue (northbound) Broadway, Fifth Avenue (southbound)DowntownSixth Avenue and Houston Street (last drop-off)Broadway and Houston Street (first pick-up)←AM→PMChurch Street (northbound) Broadway (southbound)Victory Boulevard, Watchogue Road, Richmond Avenue, Forest Avenue, South AvenueDowntownPearl Street and Peck Slip (last drop-off)Pearl Street and Frankfort Street (first pick-up)Port RichmondCastleton Avenue and Jewett AvenueWater StreetNarrows Road, Clove Road, Forest Avenue, Port Richmond Avenue
History and notes Route Original route(s)HistorySIM1SIM1CX1, X3, X4 Operates all times: SIM1 operates only during peak hours; SIM1C operates during all other times SIM1 extended to SoHo (Houston Street) from Worth Street on January 13th, 2019.SIM2X17C, X19 Extended from Huguenot to Tottenville via Hylan Boulevard As of January 13, 2019, off-peak service was eliminated due to low ridership.SIM3SIM3CX10, X12, X14, X42 Operates during both peak and off-peak hours SIM3 operates only during peak hours; SIM3C operates during off-peak hours via Lower Manhattan SIM3 operates via 23rd Street and the FDR Drive to bypass intermediate stops to the south during peak hours (similar to former X42). SIM4SIM4CX17A, X17C Operates during both peak and off-peak hours SIM4 & SIM4X operate only during peak hours; SIM4C operates during off-peak hours SIM4X ran express along Richmond Avenue, only stopping at Lamberts Lane and the Staten Island Mall (Lamberts Lane stop added January 13, 2019). This variant was discontinued on August 29, 2025 due to low ridership. Trips were only about 15 percent full on average. Some of the funds saved will be used to add seven full SIM4 trips. Former weekend service to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn (under former X17C) eliminated. Late evening Staten Island-bound SIM4C service extended west to Huguenot Avenue along SIM8 route on October 7, 2018 As of January 13, 2019, SIM4C buses were extended to Huguenot in order to replace the SIM2 off-peakSIM5X4, X7, X8 Originally had an express variant, SIM5X, non-stop from South Beach Park & Ride to Manhattan mornings only. SIM5X extended to New Dorp at Tysens Lane on September 7, 2018 to serve the community better, but the entire route was quickly discontinued on October 7, 2018 due to low ridership.SIM6X5, X7Staten Island-bound trips rerouted from 5th Avenue to Lexington Avenue on August 30, 2018 following customer complaints. The northern terminal was relocated from Sixth Avenue and Central Park South to Lexington Avenue and 57th Street to prevent buses from getting stuck in crosstown traffic. Originally had an express variant, SIM6X, non-stop from South Beach Park & Ride to Manhattan mornings only. SIM6X extended to New Dorp at Tysens Lane on September 7, 2018 to serve the community better, but the entire route was quickly discontinued on October 7, 2018 due to low ridership.SIM7X1, X3, X4, X7, X9 Created on August 19th, 2018 to provide Eltingville and Hylan Blvd riders direct West Street/Greenwich Village service.SIM8X17J, X23 SIM8X ran express along Richmond Avenue, only stopping at Lamberts Lane and the Staten Island Mall (Lamberts Lane stop added January 13, 2019). This variant was discontinued on August 29, 2025 due to low ridership. Trips were only about 25 percent full on average. Some of the funds saved will be used to add two full SIM8 trips.SIM9X1, X3, X4, X7, X9 Added on October 7, 2018 to provide West Street/Greenwich Village service on Father Capodanno Boulevard Also provided to alleviate SIM7 congestion and reuse the bus loop on Richmond Avenue.SIM10X1, X2, X5, X7, X9SIM11X2 Added on January 13, 2019 to provide more reliable service between the northern portion of the Hylan Blvd corridor and East Midtown, and restore usage of the old New Dorp terminal on Mill Road.SIM15X15SIM22X1, X5, X17J, X21, X23 Staten Island-bound trips rerouted from Fifth Avenue to Lexington Avenue on August 30, 2018SIM23SIM24X17J, X23, X24 Was operated by Academy Bus until Dec 30, 2021. SIM23 and SIM24 rerouted from 42nd Street onto 34th Street on November 5, 2018, replicating X23/X24 route