Your NYC travel advisor
Your NYC travel advisor
If you are reading this article, it means that you are planning to visit Central Park and are wondering what the Best Subway Train and Station is to do so. You are in the right place.
In fact, today I will explain in detail which New York Subway stops are closest to Central Park. That way, whether you are in Times Square, Lower Manhattan, or anywhere else in NYC, you will always know which subway train to take to visit Central Park.
Central Park is located in Manhattan and connects Midtown with Uptown. This park is a huge green lung in the middle of NYC. To the left of Central Park is the Upper West Side. To the right, on the other hand, is the Upper East Side. Both of these areas are extremely residential but at the same time offer plenty of options from a dining perspective. Some of my favorite restaurants, in fact, are located on either side of Central Park.
North of the park, on the other hand, is Harlem. Whereas to the south is the most touristy part of NYC: Midtown Manhattan. Here you will indeed find Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue, and much more.
To figure out the best subway station for Central Park, you first need to figure out what area of Central Park you want to visit. For this reason, I decided to divide this paragraph into 3 parts: the lower part, the middle part and the upper part of Central Park. That way, whichever part you want to visit, you will always know which subway train to take to get there.
Let’s start right away by defining what I mean by Central Park South. This is the part of the park that borders Midtown Manhattan. It is the most touristy part. Here you will find the Gapstow Bridge, the Pond, the Central Park skating rink, the Mall and also the Bow Bridge. If you want to visit this part of Central Park, then you have two options: enter from Central Park from the Subway Station in the South West side or in the South East side.
The nearest Subway Station to Central Park’s Southwest entrance is called 59 Street Columbus Circle. In fact, once you exit the subway, you will be right in front of Columbus Circle and the entrance to Central Park.
So many Subway Trains run through Columbus Circle to get to Central Park. Among them:
1, 2, A and C – If you are coming from Times Square these subway trains are definitely good for going to Central Park South West Subway Station. In fact, both 1, 2, A and C run from the stop at 42nd Street and 8th Avenue, a few steps from Times Square
B and D – These 2 subway lines come to Central Park South West Subway Station from Rockefeller Center and Bryant Park. Great solution if you want to mix a visit to Midtown Manhattan and then enter Central Park.
If you want to enter Central Park from its South East entrance, then my advice to you is to take the subway lines number N, R or W. All 3 of these subway lines come directly from Times Square. The Times Square stop is located at 7th Avenue and 49th Street, just a short walk from the very famous Times Square Red Stairs. In contrast, the stop near the South East entrance to Central Park is called 5th Avenue and 59th Street.
Once you exit the subway, you will see before your eyes the beautiful Plaza Hotel. This is the hotel you surely saw in the movie “Home Alone 2.” From there also starts the most touristy part of Fifth Avenue, the part that during the Christmas season is decorated with lots of lights and sounds.
Thanks to the Subway to Central Park South East you can in a few minutes enter the park and start exploring some of the most iconic places in New York.
Central Park South means midtown Manhattan. So get ready to explore some of New York’s most famous areas. These include Rockefeller Center, the Saks Fifth Avenue Sound and Light show, and Brynat Park.
Below are some links to my blog that may be helpful in planning your next vacation to the Big Apple.
If you want to visit the middle part of Central Park, then you must first decide which side of the park you want to enter from. In fact, you either enter from the Upper West Side or from the Upper East Side. For each side of Central Park, in the following paragraphs, I will explain which I think is the best subway stop and also which landmarks you can visit.
The best way to visit the middle part of Central Park and focus on the area near the Upper West Side is to get off at the 72nd Street stop. Here in fact you will be right next to the Dakota, the building where John Lennon lived. From here, when you enter Central Park, you will be 2 steps away from some of its most famous areas. These include Strawberry Fields, John Lennon Memorial, Bow Bridge, The Ramble and the Bethesda Terrace and Fountain.
The subway lines that stop at the intersection of 72nd Street and Central Park West are the blue A and C and the orange B.
If you want to access Central Park from the Upper East Side, the easiest way is to take the green 4 or 6 subway from Grand Central Terminal. In my opinion, the best subway stop to access Central Park on the Upper East Side is on 77th Street at the intersection with Lexington Avenue. From here you only need to walk west for a very few minutes until you enter the park. This is the area where you will find The MET Museum and the Alice in Wonderland statue.
Central Park North means Harlem, and the best way to get there is to take the Red 2 or 3 subway from Times Square. The stop you need to get off at is called Central Park North 110 Street. From here, the entrance to Central Park will really be just a stone’s throw away. Central Park North is the least touristy part of the park, but also the most exciting environmentally. In fact, here it no longer feels like a park, but in some places it really looks like a forest. If you have more time during your trip to NYC, take a half day to explore Central Park North. You will have a beautiful walk among the trees and animals.
If you found this article useful, check out my New York Blog. You will find lots of articles that will help you before and during your NYC vacation.
