Q4 and Q51 buses

The Q4 and Q51 bus routes are important ways people travel in southeastern Queens, New York City. These buses run along Merrick Boulevard and part of Linden Boulevard, connecting many neighborhoods.

The Q4 bus starts at the Jamaica Center–Parsons/Archer station and goes to Cambria Heights, close to the border with Nassau County. The Q51 bus begins at the Rockaway Boulevard station in Ozone Park and ends at Springfield Boulevard in Cambria Heights. Between Merrick Boulevard and Springfield Boulevard, both buses share the same road on Linden Boulevard.

These bus routes are part of the city’s public transit system. The Q4 has been serving the area since November 1919 and was operated by different companies over time. The Q51 is a newer route, starting its service in 2025. Both are run by the MTA Regional Bus Operations under the New York City Transit brand. For more information about current bus services, see the List of bus routes in Queens.

Route description and service

Q4

The Q4 bus starts at Bay C of the Jamaica Center Bus Terminal. It goes east on Archer Avenue to Merrick Boulevard, then south along Merrick Boulevard to Linden Boulevard. This road is shared with the Q5, Q85, and the Q84. The Q4 then turns east along Linden Boulevard, passing through St. Albans and Cambria Heights. The bus ends at 235th Street near the Cross Island Parkway, which is the border with North Valley Stream in Nassau County. To go into Nassau County, passengers need to walk to Elmont Road and switch to the n1 bus of the Nassau Inter-County Express. The Q4 runs from the Jamaica Bus Depot and is a "rush" route, meaning it stops only at certain places on Merrick Boulevard and more places elsewhere.

When school is in session, some special buses run from schools to Jamaica. One bus leaves I.S. 192 The Linden at 204th Street & 111th Avenue for Jamaica at 2:40pm. Three buses leave a high school complex at 116th Avenue & Francis Lewis Boulevard for Jamaica at 2:58, 3:02, and 3:15pm. Two more buses also go to Jamaica from Francis Lewis Boulevard at 3:10 and 3:44pm. All these buses follow the usual “rush” stops in Jamaica.

Q51

The Q51 bus starts at the Rockaway Boulevard station of the New York City Subway, where the A train stops. It goes southeast along Rockaway Boulevard and then turns east at Linden Boulevard. The bus ends at Springfield Boulevard, where it turns back west using Springfield Boulevard and Francis Lewis Boulevard. The Q51 is a limited-stop route.

Express bus service

Main article: List of express bus routes in New York City

The QM64 express bus starts in Elmont and runs along Linden Boulevard to Farmers Boulevard. It then continues on Farmers Boulevard, Liberty Avenue, the Van Wyck Expressway, and Queens Boulevard towards Midtown Manhattan.

History

1910s to 1930s

The Q4 bus route began in November 1919, traveling from Union Hall Street station in Jamaica along Merrick Road and Central Avenue to St. Albans. In 1923, Bee Line, Inc started operating the route. By 1930, the route ended at the new Jamaica Union Bus Terminal. In 1931, the city changed the route to go further east to Cambria Heights.

1940s to 2000s

In 1945, the Q4 was extended to its current end near the county line. In 1947, the route became city-operated. In 1983, there were plans to add express service. In 1988, the end of the route moved to the new Jamaica Center Bus Terminal. In 2004, some buses started skipping parts of the ride during busy times.

2010s to present

In 2019, plans were made to change the Q4, but these were delayed. In 2022, new plans were announced. The Q4 would keep most of its route but have a faster section on Merrick Boulevard. A new route called the Q51 would also start, running along Linden Boulevard.

In July 2023, the Q4 became free to ride as part of a test program, but this ended in August 2024.

In December 2023, final plans were shared. The Q4 would stay mostly the same, and the Q51 would start as a new route. Changes were approved in January 2025, and the new bus plans began on June 29, 2025. The Q51 might be extended later.