Empire State Building to Union Square by subway
Quick answer: Take a downtown N, Q, R or W train from 34 St-Herald Sq to 14 St-Union Sq. The trip takes about 12 minutes door to door on a weekday. The N, Q, R or W train comes every few minutes during the day. It runs all night.
Empire State Building to Union Square
- N / Q / R / W
- Walk 6 minto 34 St-Herald Sq
- N / Q / R / W N, Q, R or W trainFrom 34 St-Herald Sq, downtown1 stop, about 2 min
- Get off at 14 St-Union Sq
- Union SquareWalk about 3 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 N, Q, R or W train from 34 St-Herald Sq to 14 St-Union Sq. It's 1 stop, about 2 minutes.
- From 14 St-Union Sq, walk about 3 minutes to Union Square.
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 | N, Q, R or W train in the daytime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekdays | Runs all night | 12 min | Every few minutes | |
| Saturday | Runs all night | 13 min | Every few minutes | |
| Sunday | Runs all night | 12 min | Every few minutes | |
Late at night
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 12 minutes, and the N, Q, R or W train comes about every 5 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 N, Q, R and W trains all stop at both 34 St-Herald Sq and 14 St-Union Sq.
Step-free access
For the subway part of this trip: 34 St-Herald Sq (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
- 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 Union Square: common questions
How do I get from Empire State Building to Union Square by public transit?
Take a downtown N, Q, R or W train from 34 St-Herald Sq to 14 St-Union Sq.
How long does it take?
About 12 minutes door to door on a weekday. On weekends it's about 13 minutes.
Do I have to change?
No. The N, Q, 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 12 minutes, and the N, Q, R or W train comes about every 5 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
- 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 Union Square
- LaGuardia Airport to Union Square
- Penn Station to Union Square
- 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.