Cobblehop / New York routes / Grand Central Terminal to Lincoln Center

Grand Central Terminal to Lincoln Center by bus and subway

Quick answer: Take the M42 bus from E 42 St/Park Av to W 42 St/7 Av, then take an uptown 1 train from Times Sq-42 St to 66 St-Lincoln Center. The trip takes about 29 minutes door to door on a weekday (27 to 31 depending on the connection). The M42 bus comes about every 7 minutes during the day. Every line on this trip runs all night.

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Grand Central Terminal to Lincoln Center

Trip timeabout29min
How oftenAbout every 7 minutes (M42)
  • M42
  • 1
  1. Walk 1 minto E 42 St/Park Av
  2. M42 M42 busFrom E 42 St/Park Av4 stops, about 7 min
  3. Change at W 42 St/7 AvWalk about 5 min
  4. 1 1 trainFrom Times Sq-42 St, uptown3 stops, about 6 min
  5. Get off at 66 St-Lincoln Center
  6. Lincoln Center

Weekdays, fall 2026 MTA schedule · First and last trips

By Cobblehop · · Source: MTA schedules (fall 2026), checked November 7, 2026

Step by step

  1. Walk about 1 minute from Grand Central Terminal to E 42 St/Park Av.
  2. Take the M42 bus from E 42 St/Park Av to W 42 St/7 Av. It's 4 stops, about 7 minutes.
  3. At W 42 St/7 Av, walk about 5 minutes to Times Sq-42 St for the 1 train.
  4. Take an uptown 1 train from Times Sq-42 St to 66 St-Lincoln Center. It's 3 stops, about 6 minutes.

Other ways to go

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.

DayFirst tripLast tripTypical tripM42 bus in the daytime
WeekdaysRuns all night29 minAbout every 7 minutes
SaturdayRuns all night30 minAbout every 10 minutes
SundayRuns all night31 minAbout 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.

Tips for this trip

Step-free access

For the subway part of this trip: Times Sq-42 St/Port Authority Bus Terminal (1 platform) is on the MTA's list of accessible stations; 66 St-Lincoln Center (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

Fares as of November 2026. Check the official fares page before you ride.

Grand Central Terminal to Lincoln Center: common questions

How do I get from Grand Central Terminal to Lincoln Center by public transit?

Take the M42 bus from E 42 St/Park Av to W 42 St/7 Av, then take an uptown 1 train from Times Sq-42 St to 66 St-Lincoln Center.

How long does it take?

About 29 minutes door to door on a weekday, 27 to 31 depending on the connection. On weekends it's about 30 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.

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.

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:

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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