Times Square and GCS
 

I might be staying in Times Square at the Crowne Plaza in March. How far is the walk to Grand Central Station?

The walk across 42nd St will take no more than 10 minutes. If the weather is bad you can take the crosstown shuttle which goes directly between the 2 stations.

Hey, nytraveler, 10 minutes? That's pretty fast walking!

It's walkable in that time if you're not schlepping luggage -- New Yorkers don't stroll, they move, full speed ahead.

BTH, it's Grand Central TERMINAL. (Did "station" come from the "postal station"?)

You're forgetting that the Crowne Plaza is at 49th Street & Broadway. No way to GCT in 10 minutes!

The walk is close to 3/4's of a mile. I agree with HowardR - no way you do it in 10 minutes unless you jog. It is not like you are doing this on a running track. You do have to contend with pedestrian and vehicular traffic. During this walk you will be standfing still for at least a total of 3 minutres waiting for traffic lights to change.

Sorry - I don't know where the Crown Plaza is - (New Yorkers don;t keep track of all these hotels - don't need to). As the poster asked I gave the walking time for Times Square to Grand Central - not from 49th St.

So...20 minutes?

It depends on how fast you walk. For me it would be about 15 minutes - but as mentioned above New Yorkers walk quickly - if you want to stroll it would be 30 minutes.

(As a rule of thumb brisk walking is about 20 minutes per mile - or a minute per block.)

I've stayed at the Crowne Plaza (beautiful lobby!) and there is no way you could get to Grand Central by foot in 10 minutes as a tourist.
It is not an unreasonable walk, however. I would say maybe 20-25 minutes. If you intend to have luggage with you, though, I would spring for a cab.
We made it to Rockefeller Center in about 10 minutes by foot, if that gives you some perspective by looking at your maps.

I would recommend taking the S train (Shuttle) from Times Square to Grand Central.

I've taken the S train as mentioned above a number of times. I've also walked the distance many times. Maybe it's just me, but somehow I usually feel that when all is said and done, I've walked as much or even more when I take the S train than when I just stay above ground and walk direct to my destination near Times Square. Adding in the time to wait for the next train -- I am guaranteed to walk up just as one train pulls out -- I'm also not so sure that you save that much time taking the S train either. The only reason I'll do the S train is if it is raining or cold out. And it's just so much more pleasant (depending on the weather) to be out in the open.

My teenaged daughter and I walked from the Crowne Plaza to Grand Central in 10-12 minutes, with luggage, going fast. Crowded sidewalks in Times Sq and around 5th can slow you down. Not worth it to take the Shuttle train, as the station is at 42-43rd, and you then have to schlep luggage up stairs and walk along Times Sq. for 6 blocks. Rooms in Crowne Plaza were nice and surprisingly quiet (assume you'll request a high floor).

If you take 6th Avenue it will take you 1/2 the time than if you took Broadway, which is one big pedestrian traffic jam.

Actually, the fastest way to get to Grand Central from the Crowne Plaza is to walk west on 45th Street to the Met Life Building (between Vanderbilt and Lexington), go through the Met Life Building and take the escalator into the terminal.

Ooooops, I mean, walk EAST on 45th Street. Sorry.

Just a by the way about Grand Central. Yes, the official name is Grand Central Terminal but native New Yorkers have always referred to it as Grand Central Station.

Not to nitpick, JohnK, but some of us New Yorkers just call it Grand Central!

Thanks for all your help. In case I don't get the discount I'm expecting, how far is Grand Central from the Super 8 in Times Square? Also, the reason I'm asking, is b/c I need to catch the 7 train to Queens. Maybe I should be asking if Grand Central is the closest place to catch the 7 train...

No, the closest place for you to catch the 7 train is...AT Times Square (42nd & Broadway/7th Avenue). I don't know where your hotel is, but there's another 7 train entrance at Port Authority (42nd & 8th), though from here you'd have to walk underground to the station at Times Square anyway.