Grand Central Terminal to Chelsea by bus and subway
Quick answer: Take the M42 bus from E 42 St/Park Av to W 42 St/7 Av, then take a downtown C or E train from 42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal to 23 St. The trip takes about 21 minutes door to door on a weekday. The M42 bus comes about every 7 minutes during the day. Every line on this trip runs all night.
Grand Central Terminal to Chelsea
- M42
- C / E
- Walk 1 minto E 42 St/Park Av
- M42 M42 busFrom E 42 St/Park Av4 stops, about 7 min
- Change at W 42 St/7 AvWalk about 5 min
- C / E C or E trainFrom 42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal, downtown2 stops, about 3 min
- Get off at 23 St
- ChelseaWalk 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/7 Av. It's 4 stops, about 7 minutes.
- At W 42 St/7 Av, walk about 5 minutes to 42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal for the C or E train.
- Take a downtown C or E train from 42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal to 23 St. It's 2 stops, about 3 minutes.
- From 23 St, walk about 2 minutes to Chelsea.
Other ways to go
- Take a downtown 6 train from Grand Central-42 St to 23 St-Baruch College, then take the M23 Select Bus Service bus from E 23 St/Park Av South to W 23 St/8 Av: about 25 minutes.
- Take the M101 bus from Lexington Av/E 42 St to 3 Av/E 23 St, then take the M23 Select Bus Service bus from E 23 St/3 Av to W 23 St/8 Av: about 27 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 | M42 bus in the daytime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekdays | Runs all night | 22 min | About every 7 minutes | |
| Saturday | Runs all night | 23 min | About every 10 minutes | |
| Sunday | Runs all night | 19 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, and the M42 bus comes about every 45 minutes. No C service late nights (about 1 to 5 am): GTFS has no C trips then on weeknights. Cobblehop routes you on another line then.
Tips for this trip
- Take the first train that comes. The C and E trains all stop at both 42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal and 23 St.
- Chelsea is in Manhattan Community Board 4 (14th to 59th streets, West Side). (source, checked 2026-11-04)
- 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: Times Sq-42 St/Port Authority Bus Terminal (E platform) is on the MTA's list of accessible stations; 23 St (E 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.
Grand Central Terminal to Chelsea: common questions
How do I get from Grand Central Terminal to Chelsea by public transit?
Take the M42 bus from E 42 St/Park Av to W 42 St/7 Av, then take a downtown C or E train from 42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal to 23 St.
How long does it take?
About 21 minutes door to door on a weekday. On weekends it's about 23 minutes.
Do I have to change along the way?
Yes, once: at W 42 St/7 Av.
Does it run all night?
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 26 minutes, and the M42 bus comes about every 45 minutes. No C service late nights (about 1 to 5 am): GTFS has no C 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
- 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
- Times Square to Chelsea
- 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)
- Chelsea: visitor information
- 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.
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