Previous studies suggested that short term freshening events in the subpolar gyre can be counterbalanced by interactions with the subtropical gyre and thus stabilize the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). However, little is known about the intergyre transport pathways. Here, we reconstruct surface and subsurface transport between the subtropical and polar North Atlantic during the last 10000 years, by combining new temperature and salinity reconstructions obtained from surface and subsurface dwelling foraminifera with published data from the tropical and subpolar North Atlantic and published foraminiferal abundance data from the subtropical North Atlantic. These observations imply an overall stable warm surface water transport. Subsurface warm water transport started at about 8 ka with subtropical heat storage, and reached its full strength at about 7 ka, probably associated with the onset of the modern AMOC mode. Comparison of different potential forcing mechanisms suggests a freshwater control on these ocean transport changes.