You just got off the Amtrak or the LIRR. You’re standing in the middle of Penn Station, which, honestly, still feels like a basement even with the fancy new Moynihan Train Hall across the street. You need to get to Grand Central. Maybe you’re catching a Metro-North train to Connecticut, or maybe you just want to see the celestial ceiling and grab a Magnolia Bakery cupcake. Whatever the reason, taking the subway from Penn Station to Grand Central is a rite of passage that most people mess up on their first try.
It's only about a mile. You could walk it in 20 minutes if the weather is nice and you aren't dragging a suitcase that weighs as much as a small car. But this is New York. It’s raining, or it’s 95 degrees, or you’re just in a rush. You need the train.
Here is the thing about Penn Station: it is a labyrinth. If you follow the wrong "Subway" sign, you’ll end up on the A/C/E lines on 8th Avenue, which will take you to the West Side or Lower Manhattan, but nowhere near Grand Central. You need the 1/2/3 lines or the shuttle.
The Shuttle Is Your Best Friend (Mostly)
The most direct way to handle the subway from Penn Station to Grand Central involves a two-step dance. First, you find the 1, 2, or 3 trains (the red line) inside Penn Station. Look for the red circles. You want to go Uptown just one single stop to Times Square–42nd Street.
Seriously. One stop.
Once you hop off at Times Square, do not leave the station. Look up. You are looking for a big grey "S" symbol. That is the 42nd Street Shuttle. This little train does nothing but bounce back and forth between Times Square and Grand Central. It’s basically a horizontal elevator. They renovated the Times Square end of the shuttle platform recently, so it’s much more accessible and less "creepy basement" than it used to be. The ride takes about two minutes. You get on, you check one email, you get off. You’re there.
Why the 7 Train is the Secret Shortcut
Sometimes the Shuttle is crowded, or you happen to end up on the lower levels of the Times Square station. If you see signs for the 7 Train (the purple circle), take it.
The 7 train also goes to Grand Central. In fact, it’s often faster because it runs more frequently than the Shuttle late at night. The only downside is that the 7 train platform at Times Square is deep. Like, "journey to the center of the earth" deep. You’ll be riding escalators for a while. But if you’re already down there, just take the 7 one stop east to Grand Central–42nd St.
The "I Don't Want to Transfer" Dilemma
Let’s be real. Transferring at Times Square with luggage is a nightmare. It’s crowded, the floor is sticky, and people are moving at Mach 1. If you absolutely hate the idea of a transfer, you have a few "pro-move" alternatives for the subway from Penn Station to Grand Central route.
- The M34-SBS Bus: Exit Penn Station onto 34th Street. Find the Select Bus Service (SBS) stop for the M34. It runs crosstown. Get off at Park Avenue and walk up to 42nd. It’s not a subway, but it saves your knees.
- The New "Grand Central Madison" Option: This is the real game-changer. If you are arriving at Penn Station via the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), you might not even need to go to Penn Station at all. Most LIRR trains now go directly to Grand Central Madison, which is a massive new terminal literally underneath the existing Grand Central. Check your train schedule. If your train is headed to Grand Central Madison, stay on it. Don't get off at Penn. You’ve already arrived.
Avoid the 8th Avenue Trap
This is where tourists lose an hour of their lives. Penn Station sits between 7th and 8th Avenues. The A, C, and E trains run under 8th Avenue. If you follow signs for the A/C/E, you are moving away from Grand Central.
If you find yourself standing on a platform watching blue trains (A/C/E) pull in, you’ve gone the wrong way. You can technically take an Uptown A or C to 42nd St-Port Authority, but then you have to walk through a very long, very underground tunnel to get to the Shuttle. It’s about a quarter-mile walk underground. It smells like stale pretzels and desperation. Just stay on the 7th Avenue side (the 1/2/3 lines) to make your life easier.
Cost and Payment (Don't Buy a MetroCard)
It costs $2.90. Please, for the love of everything holy, do not stand in line at a vending machine to buy a yellow plastic MetroCard. New York has moved on.
Just tap your credit card, debit card, or smartphone (Apple Pay/Google Pay) right on the OMNY reader at the turnstile. It works instantly. If you use the same device for your whole trip, the MTA caps your fares at $34 per week. So, after your 12th ride, the rest are free. If you’re just doing the one-off trip from subway from Penn Station to Grand Central, tapping your phone is the only way to go.
Navigating Grand Central Once You Arrive
When you step off the Shuttle or the 7 train at Grand Central, you aren't quite in the "Main Concourse" yet. You’re in the basement. Follow the signs that say "Main Concourse" or "Metro-North." You’ll go up a few sets of stairs or an elevator and suddenly—boom. The gold clock, the green ceiling, the sunlight. It’s one of the few places in New York that actually looks like the movies.
If you’re trying to find the street, look for the "42nd Street" exits. If you’re headed to the Chrysler Building, head east. If you’re looking for Bryant Park, head back west.
Real World Timing
How long does this actually take?
- The Sprint: If you know exactly where you’re going and the Shuttle is waiting: 12 minutes.
- The Average: 20 minutes.
- The "I Got Lost in Penn Station": 45 minutes.
Usually, the bottleneck isn't the train ride itself. It’s the walking. Penn Station is huge. Grand Central is huge. The "transfer" at Times Square involves walking about two city blocks' worth of distance underground. If you have mobility issues, look for the elevators, but be warned: they can be tucked away in corners and sometimes smell like a locker room.
The Verdict
The best way to take the subway from Penn Station to Grand Central is taking the 1, 2, or 3 train one stop north to Times Square and then catching the S Shuttle. It is the classic NYC experience. It's loud, it's efficient, and it gets the job done.
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Just remember: Red line to Grey line.
If you see the LIRR signs for Grand Central Madison, take that instead and skip the subway entirely. It’s cleaner, newer, and saves you the $2.90.
Actionable Next Steps
- Check your arrival platform: If you are on the LIRR, check the screens to see if a Grand Central Madison train is departing soon from your current location.
- Download MyMTA or Citymapper: These apps are significantly more accurate for real-time subway delays than Google Maps in New York City.
- Ready your phone: Have your mobile wallet open before you hit the turnstile to avoid the "tap-and-wait" shuffle that annoys commuters.
- Locate the 7th Avenue Exit: If you are in Moynihan Train Hall, you need to walk across 8th Avenue and into the old Penn Station (under Madison Square Garden) to find the 1/2/3 trains easily.