Grand Central - 42nd St

Grand Central - 42nd Street is one of the most recognisable subway stations in the United States, sitting directly beneath Grand Central Terminal - the Beaux-Arts railway masterpiece that has stood at the heart of Midtown Manhattan since 1913. Five subway lines stop here, and the station connects seamlessly to Metro-North Railroad services heading north to Connecticut and Westchester County. It is a vital transfer point for anyone moving around the east side of Midtown.

Beyond the transit connections, Grand Central Terminal itself is worth a visit in its own right. The Main Concourse with its 75-foot vaulted ceiling painted with constellation murals, the Whispering Gallery near the Oyster Bar, and the lower-level dining concourse are all free to explore. The surrounding neighbourhood puts you steps from the Chrysler Building, Bryant Park and the New York Public Library's main building.

Station Overview

Grand Central - 42nd Street sits in Zone 1 and opened in 1918. Five lines serve the station: the 4, 5, 6, 7, and the 42nd Street Shuttle (S). The station is fully accessible. Facilities are extensive and include toilets, ATMs, Wi-Fi, shops, cafes and staffed information points - many of them inside the grand terminal building above.

Lines and Connectivity

The 4, 5 and 6 trains run north-south on Lexington Avenue, making Grand Central the gateway to the Upper East Side, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (86th Street) and the Bronx heading north, and to the Financial District and Brooklyn-bound connections heading south. The 7 train heads west one stop to Times Square, then continues east under the East River to Queens - handy for Flushing and Jackson Heights. The S shuttle links directly to Times Square in two minutes, making it one of the fastest cross-Midtown connections available.

Station Layout and Facilities

The subway platforms sit below Grand Central Terminal, and the transition between subway and commuter rail is remarkably smooth. Follow signs for Metro-North if you need trains to Connecticut or Westchester. Inside the terminal above, you will find a food hall, the famous Oyster Bar restaurant, a daily greenmarket (Tuesday and Friday), the Apple Store in the Graybar Building passage, and the Campbell Bar on the upper level. Back in the subway, free Wi-Fi covers all platforms and mezzanines. ATMs and toilets are easy to find in the terminal concourse.

Travel Tips

• Grand Central Terminal is free to enter and explore - the Main Concourse is genuinely breathtaking and makes a worthwhile stop even if you are not catching a train.
• The Whispering Gallery is in the archway corridor just outside the Oyster Bar on the lower level. Stand at one arch, have a companion stand at the opposite arch, and you can hold a conversation in a whisper.
• The 4 and 5 express trains from here reach Wall Street in about eight minutes - the fastest route to the Financial District from Midtown.
• If you are heading to the Upper East Side museums, take the 4, 5 or 6 train one stop north to 51st Street or continue to 68th Street for Hunter College or 77th and 86th Street for the museum corridor.

Nearby Attractions

Grand Central Terminal - directly above. The 1913 Beaux-Arts terminal is one of the world's great public buildings. The Main Concourse, the constellation ceiling, and the Oyster Bar are all free to see.

Chrysler Building - 3 minutes on foot. The 1930 Art Deco skyscraper with its distinctive eagle gargoyles and stainless steel crown is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. The lobby is open to the public during business hours.

New York Public Library - 8 minutes on foot west. The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on 5th Avenue has a magnificent Beaux-Arts reading room (Rose Main Reading Room) that is free to visit. The famous stone lions out front are called Patience and Fortitude.

Bryant Park - 8 minutes on foot west. The small park behind the library is one of Midtown's best free outdoor spaces, with food kiosks, free outdoor cinema in summer, and an ice rink in winter.

Timings and Best Time to Travel

The 4, 5, 6, 7 and S lines all run 24 hours a day. Rush hours (8–9:30am and 5–7:30pm) are intensely busy, particularly on the 4 and 5 express platforms. The station and terminal are relatively calm midmorning on weekdays and pleasant on weekend mornings. Grand Central Terminal itself is open from 5:30am to 2am daily.