NYU's main campus is about 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Times Square — roughly 30 blocks between Washington Square Park and 42nd Street. In practice that means about 10 minutes on the subway, 15 to 25 minutes in a car depending on how badly Midtown is behaving, and 40 to 45 minutes if you walk it.
The numbers, at a glance
- Straight-line distance — about 1.8 miles
- Walking distance — about 2 miles, 40–45 minutes
- Subway — 8–12 minutes of riding, plus platform time
- Taxi or rideshare — 15 minutes off-peak, 25+ at rush hour
- Citi Bike — 15–20 minutes up a protected avenue
One caveat worth stating up front: NYU has no fenced campus, so "NYU" is a neighbourhood rather than an address. Measure from Washington Square Park and you get the figures above. Measure from a residence hall on Third Avenue or a Tandon classroom in Brooklyn and the answer changes — see below.
By subway: the two good routes
N, R or W from 8th Street–NYU. This is the cleanest ride: one train, no transfer, straight up the Broadway line to Times Square–42nd Street. The station sits a two-minute walk from Washington Square Park, and the trip is about eight minutes of actual riding. The R is local and slower; the N and W skip more stops.
A, C or E from West 4th Street–Washington Square. These run up Eighth Avenue to 42nd Street–Port Authority, which is one block west of Times Square and connected underground. The A and E are express-ish through Midtown and can be the faster option when Broadway service is backed up. West 4th is NYU's workhorse station, covered in more depth in our NYU commuting guide.
Either way, budget 20 minutes door to door rather than 10. The riding time is short; the waiting, the stairs and the crowd at 42nd Street are what actually eat the clock.
On foot: pleasant, and longer than you think
Walking from Washington Square Park to Times Square takes about 40 to 45 minutes at a normal New York pace. The simplest route is straight up Fifth Avenue to 42nd Street, then west past Bryant Park — a genuinely good walk that passes the Flatiron Building and the New York Public Library.
Going up Broadway instead is more direct but grimmer above 34th Street. Either route will be slowed by construction detours and sidewalk sheds, which are a permanent feature of this stretch of Manhattan.
What this means day to day
Two miles is close enough that Times Square is never an expedition, and far enough that it stays out of your daily life unless you want it. Most NYU students end up treating Midtown as somewhere you go deliberately — for a Broadway show, an internship, Port Authority buses home — rather than somewhere you pass through.
- Internships in Midtown are very doable: leave 30 minutes before.
- Broadway theatres cluster around 44th–50th Streets, an easy round trip after class.
- Penn Station and Port Authority are both a short ride from West 4th, useful if you go home on weekends.
- Grand Central is a 6 train ride from Astor Place, about 15 minutes.
Planning a schedule around this? Don't stack a Midtown commitment directly against a Washington Square class. Our commuting guide covers how much buffer to build in, and the study spots guide covers where to land in between.
From other NYU locations
- Tandon, Jay Street–MetroTech (Brooklyn) — about 5 miles, 25–35 minutes by A or R.
- East Village residence halls — add 5–10 minutes to any figure above.
- NYU Langone, East 30s — about 1 mile from Times Square, 15 minutes crosstown.
If you are still deciding where to live, distance to Midtown is worth weighing alongside distance to class — our dorm guide ranks the halls on location, and the cost guide covers what commuting saves.
Frequently asked questions
Is NYU in Times Square?
No. NYU's main campus is in Greenwich Village around Washington Square Park, about two miles south. Times Square is not part of the campus.
How many blocks is NYU from Times Square?
Washington Square Park sits at roughly 4th Street; Times Square is at 42nd. That is about 30 north–south blocks plus a short westward jog — roughly 20 Manhattan blocks to the mile.
What is the fastest way from NYU to Times Square?
The N or W from 8th Street–NYU, which runs direct with no transfer. At rush hour it will comfortably beat a taxi.
Is it safe to walk from NYU to Times Square at night?
The Fifth Avenue and Broadway corridors are busy and well lit for most of the route. Standard city sense applies; the subway is faster regardless.
Editor's note: This is an independent guide and is not affiliated with or endorsed by New York University or the MTA. Distances and travel times are approximate and vary by starting point, service changes and time of day. Confirm routes with the MTA before relying on them.