A guest asked us last week which Broadway shows were playing and how to get there from here. The shows change all the time, so we'll leave the picking to you. The getting there part is easy, and it's one of the nice things about staying down here: you're on a fast train line straight up the West Side.
The fastest route: the 2 or 3 from Fulton Street
Take the 2 or 3 express from Fulton Street to Times Square-42nd St. Fulton Street station is about a block from our front door, and the ride is roughly 15 to 20 minutes with no transfers. You come up right in the middle of the Theater District. Most Broadway houses sit between 41st and 54th Streets, a short walk from the station, so from platform to your seat you're usually looking at a five to ten minute walk on top of the ride.
The 2 and 3 are the ones you want because they run express up Seventh Avenue and stop at Times Square. The 4 and 5, which also stop at Fulton, run up the East Side instead, so they're the wrong direction for the theaters.
When to leave for an 8pm curtain
Leave 17 John around 7pm for an 8pm show and you'll have plenty of margin. That's about 20 minutes on the train, ten minutes of walking and station time, and a comfortable buffer for the crowd at the theater door. Broadway houses seat a lot of people quickly but they hold the doors at curtain, so give yourself the cushion. If you're the type who likes to grab a drink first, leave closer to 6:30.
Curtain times vary. Evening shows are usually 7pm or 8pm, and matinees typically run Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Check your specific ticket, because a few shows start at odd times.
Getting back downtown after the show
Getting home is the same trip in reverse: the 2 or 3 downtown from Times Square-42nd St back to Fulton Street. Trains run all night in New York, though they come less often late, so you might wait a bit longer on the platform after an evening show. If you'd rather not wait, a cab or a car from the Theater District down to the Financial District is a straight shot down the West Side Highway when traffic is light, which it usually is late at night.
A few practical notes
Buy a ticket ahead if you have your heart set on a specific show, especially on weekends. If you're flexible, the TKTS booth in Times Square sells same-day discount tickets, and the line moves faster than it looks. Bring a light layer even in summer; the theaters run their air conditioning cold.
Weekends down here in the Financial District are quiet, which is part of the appeal. You get a calm walk to the train, an easy ride up to the noise and lights, and then a calm walk back to your own place at the end of the night. Room to spread out when you get home, too.