Grand Central Terminal to Bay Ridge by bus and subway
Quick answer: Take the M42 bus from E 42 St/Park Av to W 42 St/Av of the Americas, then take a downtown D train from 42 St-Bryant Pk to 36 St, then take a Southbound R train from 36 St to 86 St. The trip takes about 58 minutes door to door on a weekday (55 to 60 depending on the connection). The M42 bus comes about every 7 minutes during the day. Every line on this trip runs all night.
Grand Central Terminal to Bay Ridge
- M42
- D
- R
- Walk 1 minto E 42 St/Park Av
- M42 M42 busFrom E 42 St/Park Av3 stops, about 4 min
- Change at W 42 St/Av of the AmericasWalk about 4 min
- D D trainFrom 42 St-Bryant Pk, downtown6 stops, about 26 min
- Change at 36 St
- R R trainFrom 36 St, Southbound6 stops, about 11 min
- Get off at 86 St
- Bay RidgeWalk about 2 min
Weekdays, fall 2026 MTA schedule · First and last trips
Step by step
- Walk about 1 minute from Grand Central Terminal to E 42 St/Park Av.
- Take the M42 bus from E 42 St/Park Av to W 42 St/Av of the Americas. It's 3 stops, about 4 minutes.
- At W 42 St/Av of the Americas, walk about 4 minutes to 42 St-Bryant Pk for the D train.
- Take a downtown D train from 42 St-Bryant Pk to 36 St. It's 6 stops, about 26 minutes.
- Take a Southbound R train from 36 St to 86 St. It's 6 stops, about 11 minutes.
- From 86 St, walk about 2 minutes to Bay Ridge.
Other ways to go
- Take a downtown 4 or 5 train from Grand Central-42 St to Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr, then take a Southbound R train from Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr to 86 St: about 60 minutes.
- Take a downtown 6 train from Grand Central-42 St to Canal St, then take a downtown N train from Canal St to 59 St, then take a Southbound R train from 59 St to 86 St: about 58 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 | D train in the daytime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekdays | Runs all night | 58 min | About every 8 minutes | |
| Saturday | Runs all night | 64 min | About every 12 minutes | |
| Sunday | Runs all night | 60 min | About every 12 minutes | |
Late at night
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 58 minutes, and the D train comes about every 20 minutes.
Tips for this trip
- Know your stop. Get ready after 77 St. The next stop is 86 St. Start a live trip in Cobblehop and it alerts you before your stop.
- LIRR trains stop at Grand Central Madison, on the west side of Grand Central Terminal, under Vanderbilt Avenue. (source, checked 2026-11-04)
Step-free access
For the subway part of this trip: 42 St-Bryant Pk/5 Av (D platform) is not on the MTA's list of accessible stations; 36 St (D platform) is not on the MTA's list of accessible stations; 36 St (R platform) is not on the MTA's list of accessible stations; 86 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.
Grand Central Terminal to Bay Ridge: common questions
How do I get from Grand Central Terminal to Bay Ridge by public transit?
Take the M42 bus from E 42 St/Park Av to W 42 St/Av of the Americas, then take a downtown D train from 42 St-Bryant Pk to 36 St, then take a Southbound R train from 36 St to 86 St.
How long does it take?
About 58 minutes door to door on a weekday, 55 to 60 depending on the connection. On weekends it's about 64 minutes.
Do I have to change along the way?
Yes, 2 times: at W 42 St/Av of the Americas and 36 St.
Does it run all night?
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 58 minutes, and the D 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
- Grand Central Terminal to 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- Grand Central Terminal to Statue of Liberty ferry at Battery Park
- Grand Central Terminal to Central Park
- JFK Airport to Bay Ridge
- LaGuardia Airport to Bay Ridge
- Penn Station to Bay Ridge
- 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)
- Grand Central Terminal: 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.