Times Square Location Map | Find The Right Corner

Times Square sits at Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, stretching north toward 47th Street.

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The fastest way to use a Times Square Location Map is to treat Times Square as a small district, not a single pin. The main crossing is West 42nd Street where Broadway and Seventh Avenue meet, but the pedestrian plazas run north through the theater district toward West 47th Street.

That matters because a hotel, subway exit, theater, or restaurant can be “in Times Square” and still be several blocks from the exact photo spot most visitors picture. Use 42nd Street for the classic arrival, Duffy Square for the red steps and TKTS booth, and Eighth Avenue or Sixth Avenue when you want an easier edge of the crowd.

Where Is Times Square On The Map?

Times Square is in Midtown Manhattan, roughly between Sixth and Eighth Avenues and centered on Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and West 42nd Street. The core pedestrian zone runs along Broadway from the low 40s into the high 40s.

The map shape is odd because Broadway cuts diagonally through Manhattan’s street grid. Seventh Avenue runs north-south, 42nd Street runs east-west, and Broadway slices across both, creating the “bowtie” blocks that make Times Square feel wider than a normal avenue corner.

For practical navigation, use these anchors:

  • Classic meeting point: Broadway and Seventh Avenue at West 42nd Street.
  • Red steps and TKTS booth: Duffy Square, around West 47th Street.
  • Big subway hub: Times Sq-42 St station below 42nd Street.
  • Quieter arrival edge: West 44th to 46th Streets near Eighth Avenue.

Times Square Map Landmarks: Where The Corners Fit

Times Square landmarks sit within a short walk of each other, but the crowd flow changes block by block. The busiest strip is usually Broadway and Seventh Avenue from West 42nd to West 47th Streets, with theater traffic spreading west toward Eighth Avenue.

Use this table as the ground-level map before you open directions on your phone.

Map Point Where It Sits Use It For
Broadway and West 42nd Street South end of the main plaza zone Classic arrival, subway exits, bright-sign photos
Seventh Avenue and West 42nd Street Beside Times Sq-42 St station Meeting taxis, finding 1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R, W, and S trains
Duffy Square Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and West 47th Street Red steps, TKTS booth, north-end photos
One Times Square Broadway and Seventh Avenue near West 42nd Street New Year’s Eve ball-drop landmark and orientation point
Port Authority Bus Terminal West 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue Bus arrivals, A, C, and E subway access
Bryant Park West 42nd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues A calmer east-side break about 10 minutes away
Theater District Mostly West 41st to West 54th Streets west of Sixth Avenue Broadway shows, pre-theater dining, late-night crowds

Which Subway Stop Puts You Closest?

Times Sq-42 St is the closest subway stop for the central Times Square crossing. Port Authority-42 St on Eighth Avenue is better if your hotel, bus, or theater is closer to the west side.

The Times Sq-42 St complex connects several lines under one of Manhattan’s busiest corners. The 1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R, W, and S trains serve the main Times Square area, while the A, C, and E trains stop one long block west at 42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal.

For a less crowded exit, get off at 49 St for the north end of Times Square or at 42 St-Bryant Park for the east side. Broadway showgoers should check the theater address before choosing an exit because a theater on West 45th near Eighth Avenue can be closer to Port Authority than to the red steps.

Simple rule: use 42nd Street for the main photo spot, 47th Street for the red steps, and Eighth Avenue for many Broadway theaters.

How Do You Get To Times Square By Subway?

Times Square is easiest to reach by subway because the main station is directly below the district. Driving into the core is slower, pricier, and less useful once you arrive.

  1. Enter your destination as “Times Sq-42 St” for the central crossing.
  2. Use “42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal” if you are arriving by bus or staying west of Broadway.
  3. Pick “49 St” if you want the north end near Duffy Square with a shorter walk from some hotels.
  4. Check the final avenue on your theater or restaurant address before choosing an exit.

Times Square is also walkable from several Midtown landmarks. Bryant Park is about 10 minutes east, Rockefeller Center is about 15 minutes northeast, Penn Station is about 15 minutes south, and Central Park’s southern edge is about 20 to 25 minutes north.

What The Official Plaza Boundary Means

New York City treats the pedestrian spaces of Times Square as Broadway plazas between 41st and 47th Streets. The city’s event-permitting page says the Times Square Alliance and the Department of Transportation manage those pedestrian spaces on NYC’s Times Square Plazas page.

For visitors, that boundary explains why the map can feel bigger than the famous corner. The managed plaza area begins just below 42nd Street and runs north to 47th Street, while the wider Times Square district reaches farther into the theater, dining, hotel, and entertainment blocks around it.

The useful takeaway is simple: the photo zone is compact, but the neighborhood label is broad. A hotel on West 48th Street or a theater near Eighth Avenue can truthfully sit in the Times Square area while still requiring a 5- to 10-minute walk to the center.

Stay Near The Right Part Of Times Square

Times Square hotels are most convenient when the address matches your trip rhythm. Stay closer to 42nd Street for subway access, closer to 45th or 46th Street for Broadway, or closer to Sixth Avenue for a slightly calmer walk toward Bryant Park and Rockefeller Center.

Use the hotel map after you know which side of the district fits your plan:

A room directly on Seventh Avenue puts you near the lights and crowds. A room one or two avenues away can still be walkable while giving you easier taxi pickup, quieter late-night sidewalks, and faster routes to museums, parks, or train stations.

Map-Based Plan For A First Visit

A good first Times Square walk starts at 42nd Street, moves north through the plaza, then loops back west or east depending on your next stop. That route lets you see the main signs without getting stuck crossing against the heaviest foot traffic.

  • Start: Broadway and West 42nd Street for the classic view north.
  • Walk north: follow the pedestrian spaces up Broadway toward Duffy Square.
  • Pause: use the red steps area around West 47th Street for photos.
  • Exit west: head toward Eighth Avenue for many theaters, buses, and taxis.
  • Exit east: walk toward Sixth Avenue and Bryant Park for a quieter break.

Times Square is easiest before late afternoon, when daytime crowds are thinner. The lights look stronger after dark, but the sidewalks around 42nd, 45th, and 47th Streets fill fast before and after Broadway showtimes.

The Right Pin To Use

The most useful map pin for Times Square is Broadway and Seventh Avenue at West 42nd Street. That pin puts you at the south end of the core plaza, close to the subway, and within a straight walk of Duffy Square.

Use Duffy Square instead if your main goal is the red steps, TKTS booth, or the north-facing view down Broadway. Use Port Authority Bus Terminal if you are arriving by bus or meeting someone near Eighth Avenue. Use a theater’s exact street address for show nights because “Times Square” alone may send you into the densest part of the crowd when your door is several blocks away.

For most visitors, the clean plan is 42nd Street first, Duffy Square second, then west to the theaters or east to Bryant Park. That gives the map a clear shape and keeps Times Square from feeling like one giant, confusing intersection.

References & Sources

  • City of New York.“Times Square Plazas.”Supports the official Broadway plaza boundary and pedestrian-space details used in the article.