Times Square is the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, surrounded by giant digital billboards, Broadway theatres and some of the busiest pedestrian plazas in the United States. It is free and open at all hours, and almost every visitor to New York passes through it at least once. This guide covers how to reach Times Square on the subway, what is actually worth doing there and how to avoid the worst of the crowds.
A short history of Times Square
The area was called Longacre Square until 1904, when The New York Times moved its headquarters into a new tower at One Times Square and the city renamed the intersection after the paper. The Times began dropping a ball from the tower on New Year's Eve a few years later, a tradition that still draws enormous crowds and a worldwide television audience. Through the twentieth century the square became the heart of the Theater District. In 2009 parts of Broadway were closed to traffic and later rebuilt as permanent pedestrian plazas, which is why much of the square is now car-free.
Getting to Times Square by subway
The station is Times Sq–42 St, one of the largest in the system. It is served by the 1, 2 and 3 trains on the Broadway–Seventh Avenue line, the N, Q, R and W trains, the 7 train to Queens and the S shuttle that runs back and forth to Grand Central. The same station complex connects underground to 42 St–Port Authority Bus Terminal, served by the A, C and E trains.
The station has many exits. For the main plaza and the red steps, use an exit signed for Broadway and 42nd Street or Seventh Avenue and head north. Signs inside are generally clear, but it is easy to come out a block or two from where you meant to, so check the street signs when you surface. You can pay for the subway with a contactless bank card or phone at the turnstiles.
Things to do in Times Square
See a Broadway show
Most of Broadway's theatres are on the side streets between roughly 41st and 54th Streets. You can book directly with the theatre's official ticketing partner, enter digital lotteries run by many shows, or try the TKTS booth under the red steps in Father Duffy Square, which sells discounted same-day tickets for a changing selection of shows. TKTS is run by the Theatre Development Fund; check its website for current hours and which shows are available.
Sit on the red steps
The glowing red staircase above the TKTS booth is the classic place to sit and look south over the billboards. It is free and gets especially busy after dark.
Watch the lights at night
Times Square is far more striking after sunset, when the screens light up the whole intersection. Many visitors come once at night just to see it, then leave.
Large flagship stores and attractions
The square is lined with flagship stores and ticketed attractions such as wax museums and immersive exhibitions. These change over time, so check what is open before you go.
Best time to visit Times Square
For the full effect of the lights, go after dark. If you want to walk around without being shoulder to shoulder, early morning on a weekday is the calmest time; the screens are still running and the plazas are almost empty. Evenings before and after Broadway curtain times, weekends and the December holiday season are the busiest.
New Year's Eve is a special case. Viewing areas are set up by the police and fill many hours in advance, with security screening and no easy access to restrooms or food. Check official guidance from the Times Square Alliance and the city if you plan to attend.
For most people, 30 minutes to an hour is enough to see Times Square itself. Add a Broadway show and you are looking at a full evening.
Tips for visiting
- Costumed characters and street performers will ask for money if you take a photo with them. You are not obliged to, but agree on it before you snap.
- Restaurants directly on the square are mostly chains and are often crowded. A few blocks west, Ninth Avenue in Hell's Kitchen has a much wider choice.
- Keep an eye on your phone and wallet in dense crowds, as you would in any busy city centre.
- The Times Square Alliance runs a visitor information resource at timessquarenyc.org with event listings and practical information.
Nearby on the same subway stop
- Bryant Park: a green square between Fifth and Sixth Avenues at 42nd Street, with seasonal events and a winter market.
- New York Public Library main branch: the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on Fifth Avenue, free to visit, with the Rose Main Reading Room.
- Grand Central Terminal: one stop east on the S shuttle, or about a 15-minute walk along 42nd Street.
- Rockefeller Center: a short walk northeast, with the Top of the Rock observation deck.
To find food, coffee and more near this station, open Times Square on Around the Metro, or browse the full New York subway map.