23rd Street

This 23rd Street station rises to the surface right on Broadway, in the middle of the Flatiron District, where the diagonal cut of Broadway crosses the Manhattan street grid. The N, Q, R and W trains all stop here, making it one of the busier local stations in this stretch of the city, and it drops you within sight of the Flatiron Building itself.

The area above is a mix of office towers, ad agencies and tech company floors, with Madison Square Park providing a green break just a block or two away. Commuters use this stop constantly during the week, while visitors tend to surface here specifically to photograph the Flatiron Building or grab lunch in Madison Square Park.

Station Overview

The 23rd Street station on Broadway opened in 1918 as part of the BMT Broadway Line and is served by the N, Q, R and W trains. It sits in nominal Zone 1, though fares are flat across the system, so a single OMNY tap or MetroCard swipe is all that is needed. Service runs 24 hours a day, with reduced frequency overnight.

Lines and Connectivity

The N and Q trains run express through parts of Manhattan, while the R runs local and the W operates on weekdays only. All four connect south to Union Square, Canal Street and on into Brooklyn via the Manhattan Bridge or the Montague Street Tunnel. Heading north, they serve Herald Square, Times Square and continue up Broadway into the Upper West Side and Queens via the 60th Street Tunnel.

Station Layout and Structure

This is an underground station with island platforms serving both directions of the Broadway Line. Entrances sit at the Broadway and 23rd Street intersection, with stairs leading down to a fare control mezzanine above the platforms. Overhead signs mark uptown and downtown clearly, and OMNY readers and MetroCard machines sit at each entrance.

Accessibility

This station has step-free access. Elevators connect the street to the platform level, allowing wheelchair users and travellers with strollers or heavy luggage to skip the stairs. Because elevator outages can occur, it is worth checking the MYmta app for live status before you travel.

Travel Tips

• Tap in with OMNY on your phone or a contactless card, or use a MetroCard - the fare is flat regardless of distance.
• Remember the W train runs weekdays only, so on weekends rely on the N, Q or R instead.
• The Flatiron Building is visible almost as soon as you reach street level - a quick and easy photo stop.
• Overnight trains still run but at longer intervals, so allow extra waiting time after midnight.

Nearby Attractions

Flatiron Building - about 2 minutes on foot. The narrow, wedge-shaped 1902 landmark sits directly where Broadway meets Fifth Avenue at 23rd Street.

Madison Square Park - roughly 5 minutes on foot. A popular green space with public art, a dog run and the original Shake Shack kiosk.

Eataly Flatiron - close to Madison Square Park. A large Italian food hall and restaurant complex popular with the local office crowd.

Timings and Best Time to Travel

The N, Q, R and W trains run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, though the W does not operate on weekends and overnight frequency is reduced. Weekday rush hours, roughly 8 to 9:30am and 5 to 7pm, bring the heaviest crowds of Flatiron office workers. Midday and early weekday afternoons are calmer times to pass through.