Buffalo Metro Rail

Metro Rail
Two typical trains at Fountain Plaza station
Overview
OwnerNiagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA)
LocaleBuffalo, New York
Termini
Stations14
Websitemetro.nfta.com
Service
TypeLight rail
Depot(s)NFTA Rail Maintenance Yard
Rolling stockJ-TREC Buffalo LRV
Daily ridership8,900 (weekdays, Q4 2025)
Ridership2,453,100 (2025)
History
OpenedOctober 9, 1984 (1984-10-09)
Technical
Line length6.4 mi (10.3 km)
Number of tracks2
CharacterUnderground, street running
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
ElectrificationOverhead line650 V DC
Operating speed50 mph (80 km/h)
Route map
Metro Rail highlighted in blue
Proposed extension
Light Maintenance/
Storage Yard
I-990
Audubon Town Center
Ellicott Complex
Lee
Flint
Sweet Home
Maple
Boulevard Mall
Eggert
Decatur
University
LaSalle
Tonawanda turn-out
Amherst Street
Humboldt–Hospital
Delavan/Canisius College
Utica
Summer–Best
Allen/Medical Campus
Theater
(closed 2013)
Fountain Plaza
Lafayette Square
Church
Seneca
Canalside
Special Events
(closed 2020)
DL&W

station with park and ride lot
station with off-street bus loop
fare-free section

All stations are accessible
Original Proposal
Amherst Government Center
Audubon
North Campus to Amherst
part of Phase 2
North Tonawanda
North Campus
Tonawanda East
Sweet Home
Ives Park
yard and shops
I-290 (
Youngmann
Expressway
)
I-290 (
Youngmann
Expressway
)
Brighton
Maple
Ellwood Park
Sheridan
Kenilworth
South Campus
Tonawanda branch
part of Phase 2
LaSalle
Tonawanda turn-out
Central Park
Humboldt
Delavan
Utica
Summer-Best
Allen-Hospital
Theater
Lafayette Square
Cathedral Park
Cathedral Park to West Hopkins
part of Phase 2
Community College
Perry
West Hopkins

Metro Rail is the public transit rail system in Buffalo, New York, operated by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA). The system consists of a single, 6.4-mile-long (10.3 km) light rail line that runs for most of the length of Main Street (New York State Route 5) from the new DL&W Station in Canalside, to the south campus of the University at Buffalo in the northeast corner of the city. The first section of the line opened in October 1984 as the state's only rail transit system outside of New York City after Rochester's was abandoned in June 1956. The system as originally planned was completed in November 1986 and expanded for the first time in December 2025. In 2025, the system had a ridership of 2,453,100, or about 8,900 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2025.