Upper West Side to Midtown Manhattan by subway
Quick answer: Take a downtown 1 train from 72 St to 50 St. The trip takes about 17 minutes door to door on a weekday. The 1 train comes about every 5 minutes during the day. It runs all night.
Upper West Side to Midtown Manhattan
- 1
- Walk 2 minto 72 St
- 1 1 trainFrom 72 St, downtown3 stops, about 5 min
- Get off at 50 St
- Midtown ManhattanWalk about 10 min
Weekdays, fall 2026 MTA schedule · First and last trips
Step by step
- Walk about 2 minutes from Upper West Side to 72 St.
- Take a downtown 1 train from 72 St to 50 St. It's 3 stops, about 5 minutes.
- From 50 St, walk about 10 minutes to Midtown Manhattan.
Other ways to go
- Take a downtown B train from 72 St to 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Ctr: about 18 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 | 1 train in the daytime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekdays | Runs all night | 17 min | About every 5 minutes | |
| Saturday | Runs all night | 17 min | About every 6 minutes | |
| Sunday | Runs all night | 17 min | About every 6 minutes | |
Late at night
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 17 minutes, and the 1 train comes about every 20 minutes.
Step-free access
For the subway part of this trip: 72 St (1 platform) is on the MTA's list of accessible stations; 50 St (1 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.
Upper West Side to Midtown Manhattan: common questions
How do I get from Upper West Side to Midtown Manhattan by public transit?
Take a downtown 1 train from 72 St to 50 St.
How long does it take?
About 17 minutes door to door on a weekday. On weekends it's about 17 minutes.
Do I have to change?
No. The 1 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 17 minutes, and the 1 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
- Upper West Side to JFK Airport
- Upper West Side to LaGuardia Airport
- Upper West Side to Financial District
- Financial District to Midtown Manhattan
- 9/11 Memorial & Museum to Midtown Manhattan
- Brooklyn Bridge (Manhattan side) to Midtown Manhattan
- 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)
- Upper West Side: 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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