Empire State Building to 9/11 Memorial & Museum by subway
Quick answer: Take a downtown R or W train from 34 St-Herald Sq to Cortlandt St. The trip takes about 26 minutes door to door on a weekday. The R or W train comes about every 4 minutes during the day. The R or W train doesn't run from 34 St-Herald Sq to Cortlandt St between about 1 and 5 am; then the trip uses another line.
Empire State Building to 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- R / W
- Walk 6 minto 34 St-Herald Sq
- R / W R or W trainFrom 34 St-Herald Sq, downtown8 stops, about 14 min
- Get off at Cortlandt St
- 9/11 Memorial & MuseumWalk about 6 min
Weekdays, fall 2026 MTA schedule · First and last trips
Step by step
- Walk about 6 minutes from Empire State Building to 34 St-Herald Sq.
- Take a downtown R or W train from 34 St-Herald Sq to Cortlandt St. It's 8 stops, about 14 minutes.
- From Cortlandt St, walk about 6 minutes to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.
Other ways to go
- Take a downtown 1 train from 34 St-Penn Station to WTC Cortlandt: about 25 minutes.
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.
| Day | First trip | Last trip | Typical trip | R or W train in the daytime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekdays | Around the clock (another line late at night) | 26 min | About every 4 minutes | |
| Saturday | Around the clock (another line late at night) | 25 min | About every 12 minutes | |
| Sunday | Around the clock (another line late at night) | 25 min | About every 12 minutes | |
Late at night
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 26 minutes. No W service late nights (about 1 to 5 am): GTFS has no W trips then on weeknights. Cobblehop routes you on another line then.
Tips for this trip
- Take the first train that comes. The R and W trains all stop at both 34 St-Herald Sq and Cortlandt St.
- Know your stop. Get ready after City Hall. The next stop is Cortlandt St. Start a live trip in Cobblehop and it alerts you before your stop.
- Address: 180 Greenwich Street. (source, checked 2026-11-04)
- Entrances. Museum entrance: 180 Greenwich Street (the only Museum entrance) (source).
Step-free access
For the subway part of this trip: 34 St-Herald Sq (R platform) is on the MTA's list of accessible stations; Chambers St/WTC/Park Place/Cortlandt St (R 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
- 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.
Fares as of November 2026. Check the official fares page before you ride.
Empire State Building to 9/11 Memorial & Museum: common questions
How do I get from Empire State Building to 9/11 Memorial & Museum by public transit?
Take a downtown R or W train from 34 St-Herald Sq to Cortlandt St.
How long does it take?
About 26 minutes door to door on a weekday. On weekends it's about 25 minutes.
Do I have to change?
No. The R or W train goes all the way.
Does it run all night?
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 26 minutes. No W service late nights (about 1 to 5 am): GTFS has no W trips then on weeknights. Cobblehop routes you on another line then.
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.
Related routes
- 9/11 Memorial & Museum to Empire State Building
- Empire State Building to Statue of Liberty ferry at Battery Park
- Empire State Building to Central Park
- Empire State Building to Met (Fifth Avenue)
- JFK Airport to 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- LaGuardia Airport to 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- Penn Station to 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- All New York routes
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:
- MTA: developer data (the GTFS schedules used on this page)
- MTA: subway and bus fares
- MTA subway stations, with accessibility (data.ny.gov)
- 9/11 Memorial & Museum: visitor information
- Empire State Building: visitor information
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.
Leaving now? Cobblehop gives you one clear plan with live times and alerts you before your stop.