Getting to Grand Central and Times Square From East 62nd Street: The F/Q at Lex/63rd, and the Fastest Transfers

The station one block from us

The closest subway to East 62nd Street is Lexington Av/63rd St, served by the F and Q trains. It's about a block from our front door, an easy walk of two or three minutes. A single ride is $2.90, and you can just tap your phone or a contactless card at the turnstile with OMNY, no MetroCard needed.

Getting to Times Square

The fastest way to Times Square is the Q train heading south (toward Coney Island). From Lexington Av/63rd St it's a straight shot down the Second Avenue line and across to Times Sq-42nd St, roughly 10 minutes on the train. No transfer required. You come up right in the middle of the theater district.

If you're heading to a Broadway show, give yourself a little cushion at rush hour and around 7pm when the trains fill up. The Q runs frequently, so you're rarely waiting long.

Getting to Grand Central

Grand Central is close enough that walking is often the nicest option. It's about a 15-minute walk south and west from East 62nd Street, mostly along quiet blocks until you hit the Midtown bustle around 47th Street. On a decent day we'd just walk it.

If you'd rather ride, take the F south from Lexington Av/63rd St to 57th St, then it's a short walk east and south, or connect to the Lexington Avenue line (4/5/6) for the stop right under Grand Central. The walk is usually simpler than the transfer for a trip this short.

A note on the trains here

The F and Q are both reliable, modern lines, and Lexington Av/63rd St is one of the newer, cleaner stations in the system. The Q in particular is your friend on the East Side: it runs down Second Avenue and gets you to Midtown West and the theater district without a transfer, which is not something every Upper East Side address can say.