116th Street-Columbia University

116th Street-Columbia University is the front door to Columbia's Morningside Heights campus, and it shows. Step up the stairs on Broadway and you land almost directly in front of the wrought-iron College Walk gates, with the domed Low Memorial Library rising just beyond. Students, professors and visitors pour through here between classes, making it one of the liveliest stops on the far Upper West Side.

The station is served only by the 1 train, the local service on the Broadway-Seventh Avenue line. It is worth remembering the name honestly reflects its purpose. This is a small local stop built around a university, not a large interchange, so it stays busy on the surface but simple to use underground.

Station Overview

The station opened in 1904 as one of the original stops on New York's very first subway line, and it sits in Zone 1. Only the 1 train serves it, running the length of the West Side. There is a staffed booth, toilets and the usual OMNY and MetroCard equipment at the fare gates.

Lines and Connectivity

The 1 is a local train, so it stops at every station along its route. Heading south it runs down Broadway through the Upper West Side to Lincoln Center, Times Square, Chelsea and the Financial District, finishing at South Ferry near the Staten Island Ferry terminal. Heading north it continues to Harlem, Washington Heights and Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. For express trains you can transfer to the 2 and 3 at 96th Street or 72nd Street to the south.

Station Layout and Structure

This is an underground station with platforms for uptown and downtown trains. Entrances rise on Broadway around 116th Street, right beside the campus gates. Because only one line stops here, navigation is easy. Just choose uptown or downtown and follow the signs. OMNY readers and MetroCard machines are at each entrance.

Accessibility

This station has step-free access with lifts serving the street, mezzanine and platform levels, which helps students with mobility needs, wheelchair users and anyone with heavy bags at the start of term. Lifts occasionally close for maintenance, so check the MTA live status if step-free access is essential for your journey.

Travel Tips

• The 1 is a local train only, so allow a little extra time and transfer to the 2 or 3 express further south if you are in a hurry.
• The Columbia campus is open to the public in the daytime and worth a walk through College Walk, which is free.
• Tap in with OMNY or swipe a MetroCard. The fare is flat, so the same single fare takes you all the way downtown.

Nearby Attractions

Columbia University - directly at the exit. The historic Morningside Heights campus centres on Low Library and the green quads of College Walk, open to walk through by day.

Riverside Church - about 7 minutes on foot west. A towering interdenominational church with one of the world's largest carillons and observation views over the Hudson.

Grant's Tomb - roughly 8 minutes on foot northwest. The granite mausoleum of President Ulysses S. Grant in Riverside Park, the largest tomb in North America.

Riverside Park - a short walk west. A long waterfront green ribbon along the Hudson River, good for walking, cycling and river views.

Timings and Best Time to Travel

The 1 train runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with less frequent service overnight. The station is busiest around class change times and weekday rush hours. During university breaks and on weekend mornings it is noticeably quieter, which is a good window if you want a relaxed ride.