3 Avenue–138 Street  ​
View from the southbound platform
Station statistics
Address	Third Avenue and East 138th Street Bronx, New York
Borough	The Bronx
Locale	Mott Haven
Coordinates	40°48′39″N73°55′38″W / 40.810963°N 73.927217°W /40.810963; -73.927217
Division	A (IRT)[1]
Line	IRT Pelham Line
Services	6  (all times) <6>  (weekdays until 8:45 p.m., peak direction)​
Transit	NYCT Bus:Bx1,Bx2,Bx21,Bx32,Bx33,M125
Structure	Underground
Platforms	2island platforms cross-platform interchange
Tracks	3
Other information
Opened	August 1, 1918; 107 years ago (1918-08-01)[2]
Accessible	notADA-accessible; accessibility planned
Traffic
2024	1,634,603[3]  6.6%
Rank	201 out of 423[3]
Services Preceding station New York City Subway Following station Hunts Point Avenue <6> towardPelham Bay Park Express 125th Street 6  <6> ​ towardBrooklyn Bridge–City Hall Brook Avenue 6  towardPelham Bay Park Local
Location Show map of New York City Subway Show map of New York City Show map of New York
Track layout Legend toHunts Point Avenue toBrook Avenue to125th Street
Street map
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times Stops rush hours in the peak direction only

TheThird Avenue–138th Street station is an expressstation on theIRT Pelham Line of theNew York City Subway located at the intersection ofThird Avenue and East 138th Street in theMott Haven neighborhood ofthe Bronx. It is served by the6 train at all times and the<6> train during weekdays in the peak direction.

In 1913, New York City, theBrooklyn Rapid Transit Company, and theInterborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) reached an agreement, known as theDual Contracts, to expand subway service across the City dramatically. The portion of the agreement between New York City and the IRT was known as Contract 3. As part of this contract, the IRT agreed to construct a branch of theoriginal subway, which opened in 1904,^[4] north along Lexington Avenue with branches along Jerome Avenue and a three-track branch running northeast via 138th Street, Southern Boulevard and Westchester Avenue to Pelham Bay Park.^[5]

The construction of theLexington Avenue Line, in conjunction with the construction of theBroadway–Seventh Avenue Line would change the operations of the IRT system. Instead of having trains go via Broadway, turning onto 42nd Street, before finally turning onto Park Avenue, there would be two trunk lines connected by the42nd Street Shuttle. The system would be changed from looking like a "Z" system on a map to an "H" system. One trunk would run via the new Lexington Avenue Line down Park Avenue, and the other trunk would run via the new Seventh Avenue Line up Broadway.^[6]

The Third Avenue–138th Street station was opened on August 1, 1918, and was the first station of the IRT Pelham Line to open. Service was provided by Lexington Avenue Line local service.^[7][8][9][2] The construction of the Pelham Line was part of theDual Contracts, signed on March 19, 1913 and also known as the Dual Subway System.^[10] The Pelham Line was proposed to be a branch of theLexington Avenue Line running northeast via 138th Street, Southern Boulevard and Westchester Avenue to Pelham Bay Park.^[11] This was the terminal of the line until January 7, 1919, when the Pelham Line was extended toHunts Point Avenue.^[8][9]

Under the 2015–2019MTA Capital Plan, the station, along with thirty other New York City Subway stations, will undergo a complete overhaul and would be entirely closed for up to 6 months. Updates would include cellular service, Wi-Fi, charging stations, improved signage, and improved station lighting.^[12][13] However, these renovations are being deferred until the 2020–2024 Capital Program due to a lack of funding.^[14] In 2019, the MTA announced that this station would becomeADA-accessible as part of the agency's 2020–2024 Capital Program.^[15] In early 2024, to discouragefare evasion, the MTA reconfigured emergency exits at the station so the exits opened only after a 15-second delay.^[16][17] The renovation of the station was to be funded bycongestion pricing in New York City, but the renovation was postponed in June 2024 after the implementation of congestion pricing was delayed.^[18][19]

Ground	Street level	Exit/entrance
Mezzanine		Fare control, station agent
Platform level	Southbound local	← towardBrooklyn Bridge–City Hall(125th Street)
	Island platform
	Peak-direction express	← AM rush toward Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall(125th Street) → PM rush towardPelham Bay Park(Hunts Point Avenue) →
	Island platform
	Northbound local	→ toward Pelham Bay Park (Parkchester PM rush)(Brook Avenue) →

The station has twoisland platforms and three tracks, with the center track used for weekday peak direction express service.^[20] The 6 stops at the station at all times, while the <6> stops there during weekdays in the peak direction.^[21] The next stop to the south is125th Street. The next stop to the north isBrook Avenue for local trains andHunts Point Avenue for express trains.^[22] During weekday morning rush hour, two southbound 6 trains originate here.^[21]

The mosaic trim on the station's track walls are predominantly tan and buff, with the numeral "3" shown in slightly cruciform-shaped friezes with a slate blue background appearing at regular intervals. Clusters of small blue diamonds set in dark blue sit on either side of these plaques. A crossover exists via the mezzanine, and a closed crossunder is located at the center of the platforms. A high ceiling is found in the station and the northbound platform has an old tower at the south end.

To the south, the line goes under theHarlem River into Manhattan and merges with theIRT Jerome Avenue Line to form theIRT Lexington Avenue Line. Just before the slight jog going towards Manhattan, a provision was provided in anticipation of its connection with the then newly plannedSecond Avenue Subway, which was originally planned to take over the service south of this point, and relieve congestion on the IRT Lexington Avenue Subway.

A paid transfer was available to theIRT Third Avenue Line at the138th Street station. This is the southernmost station in the Bronx on the IRT Pelham Line.

Wikimedia Commons has media related toThird Avenue – 138th Street (IRT Pelham Line).

• nycsubway.org –IRT Pelham Line: 3rd Avenue/138th Street
• Station Reporter –6 train
• The Subway Nut –3rd Avenue–138th Street PicturesArchived June 15, 2017, at theWayback Machine
• Third Avenue entrance from Google Maps Street View
• Alexander Avenue entrance from Google Maps Street View
• Platforms from Google Maps Street View

• Future accessible New York City Subway stations
• IRT Pelham Line stations
• New York City Subway stations in the Bronx
• Railway stations in the United States opened in 1918
• Third Avenue

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