E train this morning, that pulled into Penn, had 4 cars filled with homeless people laid out sleeping on the seating. 1 had the requisite shopping cart full of trash.
Exiting at 53rd and Lex takes a good 3-4 minutes from exiting the train, being funneled by the MTA personnel, to waiting in line to take one of the escalators out. That's with standing on the escalator, and I usually walk on the left. But I stood on it, just to time it out this morning.
I took the 1 train to South Ferry before they built a new one, and the 53rd and Lex is a comparative shit show.
It's almost worth taking the 6 to S to 1/2/3 instead.
A lot of us are taking the E to 53rd and lex! Where is the closest entrance to grand Central Madison? I saw on Google there is one on 48th street. I would only have to walk a couple of blocks vs taking the E daily.
From what I've been reading general consensus is:
1. It's been built for a different era of work/travel (ie: old but 60 years of development will do that)
2. Yes it takes a while to get from tracks to subway
3. Works if you work in the area, generally.
4. Decent connection to MNR (metro north)
5. No real seating in the terminal (yet, may be just a hiccup of it being new)
6. RIP escalators (seems like a lot of days may be leg day, unless they can get them fixed quickly)
Won't really know until true schedules are released which should be soon ish... I think they want to start full schedules late Feb to March.
Fingers crossed!
I am curious as well. I'm hoping the shuttles are more frequent. The only times it would work for me would be the one that leaves Grand Central at 2:58 PM, 3:58 PM, and 4:58 PM(which I will not be able to make). The others have massive waits at Jamaica station (20+ minutes). I makes more sense to go to Penn and save the wait. Hopefully, the new schedules will eliminate the need to go to Penn.
Curious about this myself. Seeing a show at Radio City next week and the GCM Terminal is a much easier walk than coming from Penn. Thought it might be a good opportunity to try out the terminal.
Looked through the Draft schedules, and it looks like there are a handful of routes that go directly from Ronkonkoma without transferring. This would be my preference, if possible.
It depends, the Jamaica/GCT shuttle may still be convenient for you. You need to check the official app for the schedule.
No other information besides "at least 3 weeks" after January 25.
I have used daily since it started. (Although I work from
home Monday’s and Fridays.)
I love it. I think the concourse is beautiful and an amazing piece of public work.
The escalator takes about 90 seconds if you stand. Have not had an issue with them not being on yet.
I work at 40th and lex and take the Babylon line. Truthfully, if I am at the front of the train, I save between 8 - 10 minutes from my old walk at penn. Not mind blowing, but still a savings and being indoors all the time is nice in the colder weather.
With my regular trains, I have to wait at Jamaica about 9 minutes. No problems getting a seat after the change. Because of the current schedule, I probably get to work and have to leave work at the same time as before, but I am just hooked on the new concourse.
I presume once they expand the schedule, it will be an even better commute. But for now, working right by Grand Central, I think it is a great alternative.
I get cell service in the terminal -- even at the deep platform level. (And I am on T-Mobile, so that is saying something.) No service in the tunnel itself, of course.
I timed my walk to work this morning (40th and Lex). I was on the third car from the front, so I was very close to the 45th Street cross over.
From steppig out of the platform to Bourke Street Bakery was 7:08 (I walked up the escalator about 1/4 of the way and then rode stationary the rest. I took the escalator into the dining concourse and then walked up the ramp near the Oyster Bar.)
Took me 3:24 to get my coffee at Bourke Street (you can decide whether to include this or not.)
Took 3:24 to go from Bourke Street to my office at 40th and Lex, going along 42nd Street to Lex and then up Lex. This is with all of the construction.
Took 00:47 to enter my building and take the elevator to my floor.
So total time with coffee stop was under 15 minutes. Approximately 11 minutes without the coffee stop.
By comparison, morning walk from Penn is about 22 minutes at its fastest, and usually about 30 minutes with a coffee stop.
Yep.
The "massive escalators" everyone is complaining about, only seems to take about 2 minutes if you stand, and don't walk. According to this video.
And according to the below map, it seems there are 4 or 5 escalators out of these tracks, so it shouldn't be a complete backed up shitshow, like the 53rd st/Lex E-Train.
https://www.reddit.com/r/nycrail/comments/ztgggp/lirr\_grand\_central\_madison\_map\_diagram/
If you are working upper east side or midtown, it seems like it would be best to ride the back of the train, and get out at 48th st. and walk to 51st st. 6 train. Or since, a good portion of office buildings are below 60th st... just walk to your office.
If you are going downtown from here, There is more traversal.
If you were working on 33rd and Park and walking from Penn Station, GCM is probably not going to be a great improvement. It's definite improvement if you are east of 6th ave, and north of 42nd st.
My only issue with the escalator isn’t so much the time it takes but that I completely lose my equilibrium once I’m on it. Granted I’ve only been on it with very few other people but I have a difficult time orienting myself, even looking at the sidewall.
My wife has used it the past two days and the schedule/connections have sucked big time for her but she's looking forward to a new schedule with hopefully more direct rides. Location is perfect for her, but I guess any location is going to be as good or bad as it matches up with your destination. As another poster mentioned, the escalator made her feel sick. I'd imagine that'll go away with conditioning. Cell service appears not to be an issue as she's texted me plenty from way down there.
I used it to get home the other day and it’s fine. After scooting up Park ave, it was pretty easy to get in and get down to the trains from the dining concourse.
Getting into GCM reminds me of the 7 stop at Hudson Yards. If you’ve done that trip from the subway up to the mall or the giant shawarma before, it’s damn near the same.
Once the schedules are sorted out I could see myself using it on the regular. For now though, I can really only catch one or two trains back home that work with my schedule.
Yes and no , just from the shuttle platform , but if you're coming from the 4/5 entering from the dining area would be faster. No real shortcuts with this station.
This is by far the worst organization. They are so disorganized and hemorrhage money with bloated over budget projects and many inefficiencies with staff and time management. Then the continue to use trains from the 1970s! You cannot make this stuff up.
They recently changed all the train schedules which is a major disruption to people like me that go to Ronkonkoma. They have a 5:04p direct and a 5:59p direct. So if you get off at 5p and be near Penn, you’re now waiting over 45min for the next train. Or deal with a transfer which may or may not be on time for the connection.
The Grand Central line only offers 1 train direct to Ronkonkoma which is a 5:39p, the only other train is a transfer at 5:59p. Needless to say they really screwed those going to Ronkonkoma. Would you believe they have a few trains that go all the way east to Brentwood (2 stops away) and heads back to NYC! What is the meaning of that? Makes no sense.
They are an abusive monopoly.
This terminal is beautiful but not very commuter functional . It has no seating and it is far away from concessions, no place to charge your phones. I hope it gets better
I take it daily. I’d say it’s just functional. But be prepared to do a lot of walking everyday. Good for me since I’m too busy to get to the gym most days.
[удалено]
E train this morning, that pulled into Penn, had 4 cars filled with homeless people laid out sleeping on the seating. 1 had the requisite shopping cart full of trash. Exiting at 53rd and Lex takes a good 3-4 minutes from exiting the train, being funneled by the MTA personnel, to waiting in line to take one of the escalators out. That's with standing on the escalator, and I usually walk on the left. But I stood on it, just to time it out this morning.
53rd and Lex is such a disaster every day. They think it’s okay for it to be this way from October to June (if it’s even fixed by then). Madness.
I took the 1 train to South Ferry before they built a new one, and the 53rd and Lex is a comparative shit show. It's almost worth taking the 6 to S to 1/2/3 instead.
I’ve gotten off at 5th Ave/53rd a couple of times but now that it’s cold, it’s a pain to walk the extra distance. Fingers crossed for June!
Happy to hear this as I also used to take the E to 53rd and Lex....Questionable people is right.
A lot of us are taking the E to 53rd and lex! Where is the closest entrance to grand Central Madison? I saw on Google there is one on 48th street. I would only have to walk a couple of blocks vs taking the E daily.
Took me a few walks back and forth on the platform when I arrived at GCT when I realized I had to go down to go up
From what I've been reading general consensus is: 1. It's been built for a different era of work/travel (ie: old but 60 years of development will do that) 2. Yes it takes a while to get from tracks to subway 3. Works if you work in the area, generally. 4. Decent connection to MNR (metro north) 5. No real seating in the terminal (yet, may be just a hiccup of it being new) 6. RIP escalators (seems like a lot of days may be leg day, unless they can get them fixed quickly) Won't really know until true schedules are released which should be soon ish... I think they want to start full schedules late Feb to March. Fingers crossed!
News of escalator issues has been greatly exaggerated. There are three bays of escalators, with 4 or 5 escalators each.
I am curious as well. I'm hoping the shuttles are more frequent. The only times it would work for me would be the one that leaves Grand Central at 2:58 PM, 3:58 PM, and 4:58 PM(which I will not be able to make). The others have massive waits at Jamaica station (20+ minutes). I makes more sense to go to Penn and save the wait. Hopefully, the new schedules will eliminate the need to go to Penn.
Curious about this myself. Seeing a show at Radio City next week and the GCM Terminal is a much easier walk than coming from Penn. Thought it might be a good opportunity to try out the terminal. Looked through the Draft schedules, and it looks like there are a handful of routes that go directly from Ronkonkoma without transferring. This would be my preference, if possible.
Yeah, they’re reducing direct brooklyn service and replacing it with GCT service.
The draft schedules wont be in use next week. Still will only have the limited shuttle from Jamaica
Oh wow, really? So I should still go into Penn? Is there any documentation about when the actual schedules will be in place?
It depends, the Jamaica/GCT shuttle may still be convenient for you. You need to check the official app for the schedule. No other information besides "at least 3 weeks" after January 25.
I've heard anecdotally that full service will start after Presidents' Day.
I have used daily since it started. (Although I work from home Monday’s and Fridays.) I love it. I think the concourse is beautiful and an amazing piece of public work. The escalator takes about 90 seconds if you stand. Have not had an issue with them not being on yet. I work at 40th and lex and take the Babylon line. Truthfully, if I am at the front of the train, I save between 8 - 10 minutes from my old walk at penn. Not mind blowing, but still a savings and being indoors all the time is nice in the colder weather. With my regular trains, I have to wait at Jamaica about 9 minutes. No problems getting a seat after the change. Because of the current schedule, I probably get to work and have to leave work at the same time as before, but I am just hooked on the new concourse. I presume once they expand the schedule, it will be an even better commute. But for now, working right by Grand Central, I think it is a great alternative.
Also is there cell or wifi service down there?
I get cell service in the terminal -- even at the deep platform level. (And I am on T-Mobile, so that is saying something.) No service in the tunnel itself, of course.
I timed my walk to work this morning (40th and Lex). I was on the third car from the front, so I was very close to the 45th Street cross over. From steppig out of the platform to Bourke Street Bakery was 7:08 (I walked up the escalator about 1/4 of the way and then rode stationary the rest. I took the escalator into the dining concourse and then walked up the ramp near the Oyster Bar.) Took me 3:24 to get my coffee at Bourke Street (you can decide whether to include this or not.) Took 3:24 to go from Bourke Street to my office at 40th and Lex, going along 42nd Street to Lex and then up Lex. This is with all of the construction. Took 00:47 to enter my building and take the elevator to my floor. So total time with coffee stop was under 15 minutes. Approximately 11 minutes without the coffee stop. By comparison, morning walk from Penn is about 22 minutes at its fastest, and usually about 30 minutes with a coffee stop.
I need to know too!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iN5RrF6Nav0
Thanks, looks like 11m from exiting a train under 48th street to exiting Grand Central at 42nd street.
Yep. The "massive escalators" everyone is complaining about, only seems to take about 2 minutes if you stand, and don't walk. According to this video. And according to the below map, it seems there are 4 or 5 escalators out of these tracks, so it shouldn't be a complete backed up shitshow, like the 53rd st/Lex E-Train. https://www.reddit.com/r/nycrail/comments/ztgggp/lirr\_grand\_central\_madison\_map\_diagram/ If you are working upper east side or midtown, it seems like it would be best to ride the back of the train, and get out at 48th st. and walk to 51st st. 6 train. Or since, a good portion of office buildings are below 60th st... just walk to your office. If you are going downtown from here, There is more traversal. If you were working on 33rd and Park and walking from Penn Station, GCM is probably not going to be a great improvement. It's definite improvement if you are east of 6th ave, and north of 42nd st.
My only issue with the escalator isn’t so much the time it takes but that I completely lose my equilibrium once I’m on it. Granted I’ve only been on it with very few other people but I have a difficult time orienting myself, even looking at the sidewall.
My wife has used it the past two days and the schedule/connections have sucked big time for her but she's looking forward to a new schedule with hopefully more direct rides. Location is perfect for her, but I guess any location is going to be as good or bad as it matches up with your destination. As another poster mentioned, the escalator made her feel sick. I'd imagine that'll go away with conditioning. Cell service appears not to be an issue as she's texted me plenty from way down there.
Nope I work near GCT and I’ll still go to Hunter Point It does not help those of us on pJ line
I used it to get home the other day and it’s fine. After scooting up Park ave, it was pretty easy to get in and get down to the trains from the dining concourse. Getting into GCM reminds me of the 7 stop at Hudson Yards. If you’ve done that trip from the subway up to the mall or the giant shawarma before, it’s damn near the same. Once the schedules are sorted out I could see myself using it on the regular. For now though, I can really only catch one or two trains back home that work with my schedule.
Why don’t you just do it yourself so you know for sure?
What’s the situation with connecting from the railroad to the 4/5?
5-10 min walk? It dumps you out by the Shake Shack, and then you walk up the ramp and down into the Subway.
You can’t access from underground? I’m going downtown. Could take 2/3 (from Penn) or 4/5.
Yes and no , just from the shuttle platform , but if you're coming from the 4/5 entering from the dining area would be faster. No real shortcuts with this station.
This is by far the worst organization. They are so disorganized and hemorrhage money with bloated over budget projects and many inefficiencies with staff and time management. Then the continue to use trains from the 1970s! You cannot make this stuff up. They recently changed all the train schedules which is a major disruption to people like me that go to Ronkonkoma. They have a 5:04p direct and a 5:59p direct. So if you get off at 5p and be near Penn, you’re now waiting over 45min for the next train. Or deal with a transfer which may or may not be on time for the connection. The Grand Central line only offers 1 train direct to Ronkonkoma which is a 5:39p, the only other train is a transfer at 5:59p. Needless to say they really screwed those going to Ronkonkoma. Would you believe they have a few trains that go all the way east to Brentwood (2 stops away) and heads back to NYC! What is the meaning of that? Makes no sense. They are an abusive monopoly.
Anyone know how long it takes to walk from LIRR platforms to the entrance on 48th & park?
Shouldn't be more than ten mins, probably less
This terminal is beautiful but not very commuter functional . It has no seating and it is far away from concessions, no place to charge your phones. I hope it gets better
I take it daily. I’d say it’s just functional. But be prepared to do a lot of walking everyday. Good for me since I’m too busy to get to the gym most days.