Empire State Building to One World Observatory by subway
Quick answer: Take a downtown 1 train from 34 St-Penn Station to WTC Cortlandt. The trip takes about 27 minutes door to door on a weekday. The 1 train comes about every 5 minutes during the day. It runs all night.
Empire State Building to One World Observatory
- 1
- Walk 10 minto 34 St-Penn Station
- 1 1 trainFrom 34 St-Penn Station, downtown10 stops, about 12 min
- Get off at WTC Cortlandt
- One World ObservatoryWalk about 5 min
Weekdays, fall 2026 MTA schedule · First and last trips
Step by step
- Walk about 10 minutes from Empire State Building to 34 St-Penn Station.
- Take a downtown 1 train from 34 St-Penn Station to WTC Cortlandt. It's 10 stops, about 12 minutes.
- From WTC Cortlandt, walk about 5 minutes to One World Observatory.
Other ways to go
- Take a downtown R or W train from 34 St-Herald Sq to Cortlandt St: about 28 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 | 1 train in the daytime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekdays | Runs all night | 27 min | About every 5 minutes | |
| Saturday | Runs all night | 30 min | About every 6 minutes | |
| Sunday | Runs all night | 30 min | About every 6 minutes | |
Late at night
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 28 minutes, and the 1 train comes about every 20 minutes.
Tips for this trip
- Know your stop. Get ready after Chambers St. The next stop is WTC Cortlandt. 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-Penn Station (1 platform) is on the MTA's list of accessible stations; WTC Cortlandt (1 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 One World Observatory: common questions
How do I get from Empire State Building to One World Observatory by public transit?
Take a downtown 1 train from 34 St-Penn Station to WTC Cortlandt.
How long does it take?
About 27 minutes door to door on a weekday. On weekends it's about 30 minutes.
Do I have to change?
No. The 1 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 28 minutes, and the 1 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.
Related routes
- Empire State Building to 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- Empire State Building to Statue of Liberty ferry at Battery Park
- Empire State Building to Central Park
- JFK Airport to One World Observatory
- Penn Station to One World Observatory
- Times Square to One World Observatory
- 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.