Grand Central Terminal to Chinatown by subway
Quick answer: Take a downtown 4 or 5 train from Grand Central-42 St to Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall. The trip takes about 24 minutes door to door on a weekday. The 4 or 5 train comes every few minutes during the day. It runs all night.
Grand Central Terminal to Chinatown
- 4 / 5
- Walk 4 minto Grand Central-42 St
- 4 / 5 4 or 5 trainFrom Grand Central-42 St, downtown2 stops, about 9 min
- Get off at Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall
- ChinatownWalk about 11 min
Weekdays, fall 2026 MTA schedule · First and last trips
Step by step
- Walk about 4 minutes from Grand Central Terminal to Grand Central-42 St.
- Take a downtown 4 or 5 train from Grand Central-42 St to Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall. It's 2 stops, about 9 minutes.
- From Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall, walk about 11 minutes to Chinatown.
Other ways to go
- Take a downtown 6 train from Grand Central-42 St to Canal St: 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 | 4 or 5 train in the daytime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekdays | Runs all night | 24 min | Every few minutes | |
| Saturday | Runs all night | 23 min | About every 4 minutes | |
| Sunday | Runs all night | 23 min | About every 4 minutes | |
Late at night
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 25 minutes, and the 4 or 5 train comes about every 20 minutes.
Tips for this trip
- Take the first train that comes. The 4 and 5 trains all stop at both Grand Central-42 St and Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall.
- Mulberry Street runs through Little Italy and Chinatown. (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: Grand Central-42 St (4 platform) is on the MTA's list of accessible stations; Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall/Chambers St (4 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 Chinatown: common questions
How do I get from Grand Central Terminal to Chinatown by public transit?
Take a downtown 4 or 5 train from Grand Central-42 St to Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall.
How long does it take?
About 24 minutes door to door on a weekday. On weekends it's about 23 minutes.
Do I have to change?
No. The 4 or 5 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 25 minutes, and the 4 or 5 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 Chinatown
- LaGuardia Airport to Chinatown
- Penn Station to Chinatown
- 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)
- Chinatown: 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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