Grand Central Terminal to New York Aquarium 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 B train from 42 St-Bryant Pk to Sheepshead Bay, then take a Southbound Q train from Sheepshead Bay to W 8 St-NY Aquarium. The trip takes about 72 minutes door to door on a weekday (69 to 75 depending on the connection). The M42 bus comes about every 7 minutes during the day. The B train doesn't run from 42 St-Bryant Pk to Sheepshead Bay on weekends; the trip then uses another line. The B train doesn't run from 42 St-Bryant Pk to Sheepshead Bay between about 1 and 5 am; then the trip uses another line.
Grand Central Terminal to New York Aquarium
- M42
- B
- Q
- Walk 1 minto E 42 St/Park Av
- M42 M42 busFrom E 42 St/Park Av3 stops, about 5 min
- Change at W 42 St/Av of the AmericasWalk about 4 min
- B B trainFrom 42 St-Bryant Pk, downtown12 stops, about 39 min
- Change at Sheepshead Bay
- Q Q trainFrom Sheepshead Bay, Southbound3 stops, about 7 min
- Get off at W 8 St-NY Aquarium
- New York AquariumWalk about 9 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 5 minutes.
- At W 42 St/Av of the Americas, walk about 4 minutes to 42 St-Bryant Pk for the B train.
- Take a downtown B train from 42 St-Bryant Pk to Sheepshead Bay. It's 12 stops, about 39 minutes.
- Take a Southbound Q train from Sheepshead Bay to W 8 St-NY Aquarium. It's 3 stops, about 7 minutes.
- From W 8 St-NY Aquarium, walk about 9 minutes to New York Aquarium.
Other ways to go
- Take the M42 bus from E 42 St/Park Av to W 42 St/Av of the Americas, then take a downtown F train from 42 St-Bryant Pk to W 8 St-NY Aquarium: about 82 minutes.
- Take a downtown 4 or 5 train from Grand Central-42 St to Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr, then take a Southbound Q train from Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr to W 8 St-NY Aquarium: about 79 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 | B train in the daytime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekdays | Around the clock (another line late at night) | 72 min | About every 8 minutes | |
| Saturday | Around the clock (another line late at night) | 72 min | No B train trips | |
| Sunday | Around the clock (another line late at night) | 72 min | No B train trips | |
Late at night
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 78 minutes. No B service late nights (about 1 to 5 am): GTFS has no B trips then on weeknights. Cobblehop routes you on another line then.
Tips for this trip
- 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 (B platform) is not on the MTA's list of accessible stations; Sheepshead Bay (B platform) is on the MTA's list of accessible stations; Sheepshead Bay (Q platform) is on the MTA's list of accessible stations; W 8 St-NY Aquarium (Q 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 New York Aquarium: common questions
How do I get from Grand Central Terminal to New York Aquarium 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 B train from 42 St-Bryant Pk to Sheepshead Bay, then take a Southbound Q train from Sheepshead Bay to W 8 St-NY Aquarium.
How long does it take?
About 72 minutes door to door on a weekday, 69 to 75 depending on the connection.
Do I have to change along the way?
Yes, 2 times: at W 42 St/Av of the Americas and Sheepshead Bay.
Does it run all night?
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 78 minutes. No B service late nights (about 1 to 5 am): GTFS has no B 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
- JFK Airport to New York Aquarium
- LaGuardia Airport to New York Aquarium
- Penn Station to New York Aquarium
- 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.
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