Grand Central Terminal to Rockaway Beach by subway and bus
Quick answer: Take a Queens-bound 7 train from Grand Central-42 St to 74 St-Broadway, then take the Q53 Select Bus Service bus from Broadway/75 St to Rockaway Beach Blvd/Beach 96 St. The trip takes about 100 minutes door to door on a weekday (96 to 107 depending on the connection). The 7 train comes about every 5 minutes during the day. Every line on this trip runs all night.
Grand Central Terminal to Rockaway Beach
- 7
- Q53 SBS
- Walk 5 minto Grand Central-42 St
- 7 7 trainFrom Grand Central-42 St, Queens-bound9 stops, about 18 min
- Change at 74 St-BroadwayWalk about 5 min
- Q53 SBS Q53 Select Bus Service busFrom Broadway/75 St18 stops, about 60 min
- Get off at Rockaway Beach Blvd/Beach 96 St
- Rockaway Beach
Weekdays, fall 2026 MTA schedule · First and last trips
Step by step
- Walk about 5 minutes from Grand Central Terminal to Grand Central-42 St.
- Take a Queens-bound 7 train from Grand Central-42 St to 74 St-Broadway. It's 9 stops, about 18 minutes.
- At 74 St-Broadway, walk about 5 minutes to Broadway/75 St for the Q53 Select Bus Service bus.
- Take the Q53 Select Bus Service bus from Broadway/75 St to Rockaway Beach Blvd/Beach 96 St. It's 18 stops, about 60 minutes.
Other ways to go
- Take the M42 bus from E 42 St/Park Av to W 42 St/8 Av, then take a downtown A train from 42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal to Broad Channel, then take a Rockaways-bound Rockaway Park Shuttle from Broad Channel to Beach 98 St: about 102 minutes.
- Take a downtown 5 train from Grand Central-42 St to Flatbush Av-Brooklyn College, then take the Q35 bus from Avenue H/Nostrand Av to Rockaway Beach Blvd/Beach 112 St, then take the Q22 bus from Rockaway Beach Blvd/Beach 112 St to Rockaway Beach Blvd/Beach 100 St: about 101 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 | Q53 Select Bus Service bus in the daytime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekdays | Runs all night | 102 min | About every 10 minutes | |
| Saturday | Runs all night | 106 min | About every 12 minutes | |
| Sunday | Runs all night | 105 min | About every 12 minutes | |
Late at night
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 108 minutes, and the Q53 Select Bus Service bus comes about once an hour.
Tips for this trip
- Know your stop. Get ready after Cross Bay Blvd/W 17 Rd. The next stop is Rockaway Beach Blvd/Beach 96 St. Start a live trip in Cobblehop and it alerts you before your stop.
- By subway: the A train (or the A plus the shuttle) to the Rockaways. (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 (7 platform) is on the MTA's list of accessible stations; Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av/74 St-Broadway (7 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 Rockaway Beach: common questions
How do I get from Grand Central Terminal to Rockaway Beach by public transit?
Take a Queens-bound 7 train from Grand Central-42 St to 74 St-Broadway, then take the Q53 Select Bus Service bus from Broadway/75 St to Rockaway Beach Blvd/Beach 96 St.
How long does it take?
About 100 minutes door to door on a weekday, 96 to 107 depending on the connection. On weekends it's about 106 minutes.
Do I have to change along the way?
Yes, once: at 74 St-Broadway.
Does it run all night?
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 108 minutes, and the Q53 Select Bus Service bus comes about once an hour.
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 Rockaway Beach
- Williamsburg to Rockaway Beach
- Penn Station to Rockaway Beach
- 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)
- Rockaway Beach: 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.
Leaving now? Cobblehop gives you one clear plan with live times and alerts you before your stop.