More Spacious Entrances Allow for Faster, More Direct Access to  and Metro-North 

View Photos of the Entrances 

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced the completion of new entrances to Grand Central from the newly built, skyline-defining tower, One Vanderbilt Avenue. The entrances are part of the ongoing expansion and renovations at Grand Central, which will provide seamless transfers to the subway mezzanine with connections to Metro-North Railroad,  subway service, and Long Island Rail Road service upon completion of the East Side Access project. 

The spacious new One Vanderbilt entrances will help improve circulation at Grand Central by providing direct and convenient street access to Vanderbilt and Madison Avenues at one of the busiest subway stations in the New York City Transit system. The current  42 St entrance, leading from the mezzanine of Grand Central Terminal into the subway, is the busiest entry point in the New York City subway system, with approximately 135,800 combined daily entries and exits in pre-pandemic times. 

With the entrances and earlier improvements at the station, the Grand Central-42 St mezzanine will have a 37% increase in circulation space, new staircases between the mezzanine and platform levels of the  subway lines, additional turnstiles and gates and an ADA elevator at 42 Street and Lexington Avenue leading to the subway station. The reduction in platform congestion will allow for at least one additional train per hour. 

“This project is a perfect example of how the MTA is leveraging private investment for public improvement,” said Janno Lieber, President of MTA Construction & Development. “With these entrances – including multiple escalators and ADA elevators – New Yorkers returning to Midtown will find it even easier to navigate between Grand Central and their destinations in the neighborhood.” 

SL Green fully funded the project, investing $220 million for the new entrances, mezzanine space, staircases and ADA elevator. Additionally, SL Green has completed a 14,000-square-foot, car-free pedestrian plaza on Vanderbilt Avenue adjacent to the transit hall. 

SL Green's transit improvements at Grand Central Terminal complement MTA Construction & Development’s 42 St Connection Project. When completed, the 42 St Connection Project will more seamlessly connect the transit corridor underneath 42 Street to make transferring easier, reduce the overall commute time for customers, and expand system access for customers with disabilities by making the 42 St Shuttle line accessible. More than 1.1 million people pass through the 42 St corridor every day—a figure higher than the ridership of the entire subway and bus system of Boston in a full day. 

Standing 1,401 feet tall, One Vanderbilt is the new headquarters for many of the world’s leading finance, banking, law and real estate firms, and is approximately 70% leased. The 1.7 million-square-foot skyscraper offers an unparalleled package of amenities, innovative office design, technology offerings, best-in-class sustainability practices and a prime location at the doorstep of Grand Central Terminal.