23rd Street

This 23rd Street station sits under Seventh Avenue on the western edge of Chelsea, and it is the local 1 train stop that most people use to reach the galleries, restaurants and townhouse blocks between Sixth and Eighth Avenues. Step up the stairs and you are a short stroll from the heart of one of Manhattan's most walkable neighbourhoods, where cast-iron loft buildings sit beside newer condominium towers.

Because the 1 is a local line here, this stop tends to feel calmer than the big Midtown interchanges a few blocks north. Regulars use it for the quick run down the West Side to Greenwich Village, Tribeca and the Financial District, or up towards Lincoln Center and the Upper West Side. It is a workhorse commuter station rather than a tourist spectacle, and that is exactly why locals like it.

Station Overview

The 23rd Street station on Seventh Avenue opened in 1918 and is served by the 1 train. It sits in nominal Zone 1, though New York subway fares are flat regardless of distance, so one OMNY tap or MetroCard swipe covers the whole system. Trains run around the clock, with reduced frequency in the small hours.

Lines and Connectivity

The 1 is the local along the West Side Seventh Avenue corridor. Heading downtown it calls at 18th Street, 14th Street, Christopher Street in the Village, and on through Tribeca to South Ferry at the tip of Manhattan. Heading uptown it runs to Times Square, Columbus Circle for Central Park, and continues past Columbia University into the Bronx. For the express 2 and 3 trains you can change at 14th Street or Times Square.

Station Layout and Structure

This is a compact underground local station with side platforms, one for uptown and one for downtown trains. On older platform configurations like this the two directions are not always linked once past the gates, so check the uptown or downtown sign at the entrance before you tap in. OMNY readers and MetroCard machines sit at the fare control area, and stairways lead up to the Seventh Avenue and 23rd Street corners.

Accessibility

This station has step-free access. Elevator service connects the street and the platforms, so wheelchair users and travellers with luggage or strollers can avoid the stairs. As with all elevator-equipped stations, it is worth checking the MYmta app for live elevator status before you set out, since occasional outages happen.

Travel Tips

• Pay with a single OMNY tap using your phone or contactless bank card, or use a MetroCard - the fare is flat and OMNY caps your spend automatically once you hit the weekly limit.
• The 1 is a local, so if you are going a long way downtown, consider changing to the express 2 or 3 at 14th Street to save time.
• The Chelsea gallery district around West 24th and 25th Streets is a short walk west - most galleries are free to enter.
• Overnight the 1 still runs but less often, so allow extra waiting time after midnight.

Nearby Attractions

Chelsea Gallery District - roughly 5 minutes west. Dozens of contemporary art galleries cluster along West 20th to 26th Streets between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues, most free to browse.

Flatiron Building - about 8 minutes east. The famous triangular 1902 skyscraper stands where Broadway crosses Fifth Avenue at 23rd Street.

Chelsea neighbourhood dining - immediately around the station. Seventh and Eighth Avenues in the 20s are lined with restaurants, bakeries and bars popular with locals.

Timings and Best Time to Travel

The 1 train runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, though overnight trains arrive less frequently. Weekday rush hours, roughly 8 to 9:30am and 5 to 7pm, bring the biggest crowds of West Side commuters. Midmorning and early afternoon on weekdays are the quietest times to pass through, and weekends are relaxed outside of gallery-opening evenings.