Empire State Building to Central Park by subway
Quick answer: Take an uptown B train from 34 St-Herald Sq to 86 St. The trip takes about 29 minutes door to door on a weekday. The B train comes about every 8 minutes during the day. The B train doesn't run from 34 St-Herald Sq to 86 St on weekends; the trip then uses another line. The B train doesn't run from 34 St-Herald Sq to 86 St between about 1 and 5 am; then the trip uses another line.
Empire State Building to Central Park
- B
- Walk 6 minto 34 St-Herald Sq
- B B trainFrom 34 St-Herald Sq, uptown7 stops, about 12 min
- Get off at 86 St
- Central ParkWalk about 12 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 an uptown B train from 34 St-Herald Sq to 86 St. It's 7 stops, about 12 minutes.
- From 86 St, walk about 12 minutes to Central Park.
Other ways to go
- Take an uptown D train from 34 St-Herald Sq to 59 St-Columbus Circle, then take an uptown C train from 59 St-Columbus Circle to 86 St: about 32 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 | B train in the daytime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekdays | Around the clock (another line late at night) | 29 min | About every 8 minutes | |
| Saturday | Around the clock (another line late at night) | 29 min | No B train trips | |
| Sunday | Around the clock (another line late at night) | 29 min | No B train trips | |
Late at night
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 36 minutes. No B service late nights (about 1 to 5 am): GTFS has no B trips then on weeknights. Cobblehop routes you on another line then.
Tips for this trip
- Know your stop. Get ready after 81 St-Museum of Natural History. The next stop is 86 St. Start a live trip in Cobblehop and it alerts you before your stop.
Step-free access
For the subway part of this trip: 34 St-Herald Sq (B platform) is on the MTA's list of accessible stations; 86 St (B platform) is not 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 Central Park: common questions
How do I get from Empire State Building to Central Park by public transit?
Take an uptown B train from 34 St-Herald Sq to 86 St.
How long does it take?
About 29 minutes door to door on a weekday.
Do I have to change?
No. The B 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 36 minutes. No B service late nights (about 1 to 5 am): GTFS has no B 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
- Central Park to Empire State Building
- Empire State Building to 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- Empire State Building to Statue of Liberty ferry at Battery Park
- Empire State Building to Met (Fifth Avenue)
- JFK Airport to Central Park
- LaGuardia Airport to Central Park
- Penn Station to Central Park
- 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)
- 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.