The Hidden Gem of Grand Central Terminal
Hello, friends :)
I know it has been a super long time since I've posted, but these past three weeks have been rough in terms of work and my daily commute. My schedule originally fell out of track because there was a tornado a few weeks ago that blew through my area, and it brought down some tress on the train tracks. I had to figure out a new way of getting home that first night. On the bright-side, I can officially say that I have taken every MTA train line east of the Hudson River. On the downside, I faced massive train delays for a week.
I've also been super busy at work with some early morning meetings and after hours/weekend work, so I have been feeling quite stressed and run down. My weekends have also been quite busy, so I have had little remaining time to get a blog post up. This past weekend, my boyfriend and I went up to Mystic, CT and enjoyed some quality time together. We had a ton of fun walking around the town and seeing the sites. It is nice to be able to get away for a bit with someone special, so I am thankful for the time I get to spend with him and away from work. Given my busy schedule, I have been slacking a bit on here, but I am determined to get back on track. So, without any further explanation, let's get into it.
Today's post comes purely out of the interest of some loved one who were fascinated about my Grand Central discovery. I am going to and from Grand Central 5 days a week, so I've
gotten quite familiar with the ins and outs of the terminal. My best discovery to date is the one I am going to share with you all today! It's a little known fact that not everyone knows about: the underground tunnels that run to above ground locations in NYC, outside of the terminal.
These tunnels run along the trains as they sit on the tracks, so you don't even have to enter the terminal concourse area to get to them. These tunnels have saved me 10 minutes on my commute both to and from the office, and they are a great way to escape the elements a bit if it is raining or gross outside.
The entrance to these tunnels is between tracks 30 and 33 and they run along the trains. Essentially they bring you to the back end of the trains from where they enter the terminal. You do not need to leave the train area to access it. If you enter the concourse, you will have already passed it.
Since the tunnels are right next to the trains and underground, they get super hot. Along these slim tunnels are industrial fans blowing 24/7 to help cool things down a bit. I would say that the heat is perhaps the worse part, but the time it saves me on my commute makes it worth it.
What I also love about these tunnels is how few people take them. They are way less congested than Grand Central concourse on any given day, and I am sometimes the only person walking through them.
While walking through the tunnels you will notice tons of signs everywhere telling you how to get everywhere you want to go. It was super helpful for me when I was starting to figure the tunnels out, and it still helps me if I am trying to find different tracks on my way back from work. If you look to the right in this picture, there is an above ground exit up head that goes to 46th and Park Ave. Additionally, there is a set of stairs and an escalator that goes downstairs and has access to the lower level train tracks (the 100's) from the back.
As you can see from the pictures, the signs are plastered everywhere, so you really can't get lost.
This particular staircase leads you to a hallway which has access to the back end of the train tracks. From this end (and from the end you passed earlier leading to the lower level tracks), you can access your trains directly, but instead of walking from the back of the train to the front as you would from Grand Central Terminal, you will be walking from front to back. Therefore, you should be careful if you want to avoid the two quiet cars in the front of the train.
Again, this back end hallway has signs with arrows to help point you in the right direction to get you where you are going. For those of you who are wondering, there are three above ground exits at this point of the tunnels that will lead you out into NYC. These exit points are: 47th and Lexington Ave, 47th and Madison Ave, and 48th and Park Ave.
Along this tunnel are digital signs to tell you what trains are going where next to the entrances that lead directly to the train tracks from the back end. They come in handy when you are rushing to your train after leaving work in the evening because you can hop right on and often just make the train before it pulls out (#me).
As you keep walking down the tunnel, towards the end, there is a small little convenience shop with snacks, coffee, and other drinks, which is a nifty idea. There are also some ticket machines and a shoe shine location at this far end of the tunnel. If there was a bathroom, I would say these back tunnels were a perfect escape from the Grand Central concourse.
Finally, to exit the tunnels, there is an escalator and stairs. I'm not going to lie, the stairs are super steep, and there are a lot of them. However, since I have a desk job, I take them every day to get in some exercise, whereas there is, as you can see, always a giant line for the escalator. Makes me feel healthy and athletic to pass by so many people, most of whom do not have mobility problems, while exiting the tunnels.
Also, quick note: the escalator only goes up in the morning and down in the evening to suit the majority of commuters. Just an FYI.
At last, we have made it to street level! 47th and Madison Ave to be exact. If you make a right out this entrance and go up on block and to the right one block, you will reach the other above ground entrance at 48th and Park Ave. Yay for not having to walk in the rain so much or getting where you are going faster!
While I do not consider myself an expert at New York City, I have discovered quite a bit during my daily commute to work each day. These tunnels have been my best discovery to date, and I hope you go and give them a try the next time you are taking a trip to the Big Apple!
Thanks for reading!
Stina:)