Cobblehop / New York routes / Central Park to Union Square

Central Park to Union Square by bus and subway

Quick answer: Take the M86 Select Bus Service bus from E 84 St/5 Av to E 86 St/2 Av, then take a downtown Q train from 86 St to 14 St-Union Sq. The trip takes about 39 minutes door to door on a weekday (36 to 41 depending on the connection). The M86 Select Bus Service bus comes about every 5 minutes during the day. Every line on this trip runs all night.

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Central Park to Union Square

Trip timeabout39min
How oftenAbout every 5 minutes (M86 SBS)
  • M86 SBS
  • Q
  1. Walk 8 minto E 84 St/5 Av
  2. M86 SBS M86 Select Bus Service busFrom E 84 St/5 Av4 stops, about 7 min
  3. Change at E 86 St/2 AvWalk about 3 min
  4. Q Q trainFrom 86 St, downtown6 stops, about 14 min
  5. Get off at 14 St-Union Sq
  6. Union SquareWalk about 3 min

Weekdays, fall 2026 MTA schedule · First and last trips

By Cobblehop · · Source: MTA schedules (fall 2026), checked November 7, 2026

Step by step

  1. Walk about 8 minutes from Central Park to E 84 St/5 Av.
  2. Take the M86 Select Bus Service bus from E 84 St/5 Av to E 86 St/2 Av. It's 4 stops, about 7 minutes.
  3. At E 86 St/2 Av, walk about 3 minutes to 86 St for the Q train.
  4. Take a downtown Q train from 86 St to 14 St-Union Sq. It's 6 stops, about 14 minutes.
  5. From 14 St-Union Sq, walk about 3 minutes to Union Square.

Other ways to go

Which one is faster depends on when you leave. Cobblehop compares them with live times.

Times and frequency

From the MTA's fall 2026 schedule. Typical trip is the door to door time in the middle of the day.

DayFirst tripLast tripTypical tripQ train in the daytime
WeekdaysRuns all night40 minAbout every 8 minutes
SaturdayRuns all night40 minAbout every 8 minutes
SundayRuns all night39 minAbout every 8 minutes

Late at night

This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 38 minutes, and the Q train comes about every 20 minutes.

Tips for this trip

Step-free access

For the subway part of this trip: 86 St (Q platform) is on the MTA's list of accessible stations; 14 St-Union Sq (Q platform) is on the MTA's list of accessible stations. Elevators can be out of service, so check elevator status on mta.info before you go.

What it costs

Fares as of November 2026. Check the official fares page before you ride.

Central Park to Union Square: common questions

How do I get from Central Park to Union Square by public transit?

Take the M86 Select Bus Service bus from E 84 St/5 Av to E 86 St/2 Av, then take a downtown Q train from 86 St to 14 St-Union Sq.

How long does it take?

About 39 minutes door to door on a weekday, 36 to 41 depending on the connection. On weekends it's about 40 minutes.

Do I have to change along the way?

Yes, once: at E 86 St/2 Av.

Does it run all night?

This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 38 minutes, and the Q train comes about every 20 minutes.

How much does it cost?

Subway and local bus: $3 per ride with OMNY (tap a contactless card or phone) or a MetroCard. One transfer within 2 hours to the subway or a local bus is included.

Sources

Cobblehop is independent. It is not affiliated with the MTA or any transit agency. Schedules on this page come from the MTA's public GTFS data; check these pages for the latest service:

Transit data: Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Cobblehop is not affiliated with or endorsed by the MTA.

Published November 7, 2026. Times were computed from the MTA fall 2026 schedules for 2026-11-18 (weekday), 2026-11-21 and 2026-11-22. Planned work and holidays change service, so check Cobblehop for live times before you go.

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