It can be super confusing navigating New York if you don’t know the area well.
This simple guide explains exactly how to get from New York Penn Station to Times Square by foot, subway or taxi and includes a map.
This guide can also be used to get from Times Square to Penn Station.
How Far is Penn Station from Times Square?
The distance from Penn Station to Times Square is 1.1 km (0.7 miles).
This would take you approximately 4 minutes by car if there was no traffic. With traffic, it’ll take between 4 and 11 minutes.
The walking distance from Penn Station to Times Square is 13 minutes for the average person.
Penn Station to Times Square Walk
As Penn Station is near Times Square, you can easily walk between the two as it takes just 13 minutes by foot.
In my opinion, walking is actually the best way to get from Penn Station to Times Square.
It may be a little awkward if you have a lot of luggage but it shouldn’t be too difficult if you just have one suitcase with wheels.
Directions from Penn Station to Times Square
If you’re planning on walking then below are the exact directions from Penn Station to Times Square.
Directions from Penn Station to Times Square:
- There are several different exits at Penn Station which will bring you out onto different streets.
- When exiting Penn Station, take the exit that brings you out onto 34th Street near 7th Avenue (this is by the Long Island Rail Road ticket windows).
- As you exit the station, turn right.
- When you reach 7th Avenue, turn left.
- On 7th Avenue, just keep walking straight until you reach Times Square.
- Times Square is where 7th Avenue meets 42nd Street.
As I mentioned, Penn Station has various different exits. Try to use the one that brings you out on 34th Street but if you end up using a different exit then it doesn’t matter too much.
It’ll only add a couple of minutes onto your journey time so just head towards 7th Avenue and you’ll be fine.
The map below should help you to visualize the route.
Penn Station to Times Square Map
Here’s a map that I made that shows the route from Penn Station to Times Square by foot.
As you can see, the main thing you need to do is just get onto 7th Avenue. Once you’re on 7th Avenue, you just have to walk straight until you reach Times Square.
Subway from Penn Station to Times Square
You can take the subway from Penn Station to Times Square. It takes just 1 minute on the subway itself as it’s just 1 stop away.
I’d recommend allowing another 5 minutes or so for getting onto the platform and waiting for the train.
Based on this estimate, taking the subway isn’t much quicker than walking (which takes 13 minutes).
Using the subway may be easier though if you have a lot of luggage or if the weather is awful.
To get to Times Square from Penn Station by subway, you can take lines 1, 2 or 3 from Penn Station (34 St).
The trains come once every 5 minutes during the day times so you shouldn’t have to wait very long for a train.
NYC subways run 24/7 but you may have to wait a bit longer for a train if it’s the middle of the night.
Once you’re on the train, it’s just 1 stop which should take roughly 1 minute. Get off at Times Square (42nd St).
Make sure that you’re on the right train as for each line there will be 2 different trains (one going each way).
You need to ensure that you’re getting on a train that is going uptown.
- For line 1, make sure the train is going towards Van Cortlandt Park-242 St.
- For line 2, make sure the train is going towards Wakefield-241 St.
- For line 3, make sure the train is going towards Harlem-148 St.
No matter which of these lines you take, it’s just one stop from Penn Station to Times Square.
It is a little bit of a walk to get to the subway from the main platforms but it’s not difficult to find. Just follow the signs to the Penn Station subway when you arrive inside the station.
Taking the subway from Penn Station to Times Square costs $2.75. You can pay with either a MetroCard or your contactless credit/debit card (or smartphone).
Taxi from Penn Station to Times Square
You can get a taxi from Penn Station to Times Square but it won’t save you much time over walking.
A taxi will take between 4 and 11 minutes to get from Penn Station to Times Square (which doesn’t include the time it takes to find a taxi).
It does vary depending on the traffic and as this is one of the busiest areas of New York City, the traffic can be pretty heavy at peak times.
Walking takes just 13 minutes so you won’t really save much time by taking a taxi. At certain times of day, it might actually be quicker to walk than take a taxi.
I would recommend taking a taxi if you have lots of luggage though as navigating New York’s busiest streets with several giant suitcases isn’t easy.
You can hail down a taxi when you arrive or a better option would be to pre-book your taxi online.
You can do this on the NYC Yellow Cab Taxi website which has an online form you can use to reserve a taxi.
Penn Station to Times Square Taxi Fare
The taxi fare from Penn Station to Times Square costs between $7.50 and $10.
As walking is free and the subway costs $2.75, taking a taxi is the most expensive option but it could be worth it if you have a lot of luggage or mobility issues.
Is Penn Station or Grand Central Closer to Times Square?
Penn Station and Grand Central are an equal distance from Times Square so neither is closer than the other.
Both Grand Central and Penn Station are 1.1 km (0.7 miles) from Times Square.
On foot, it would take 13 minutes to walk to Times Square from either Penn Station or Grand Central.
And that’s it!
Thanks for reading this post which details exactly how to get to Times Square from Penn Station in New York.
If you’re planning on visiting Times Square, then it may be worth finding out how safe Times Square is at night.
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