8th Street-NYU

8th Street-NYU sits right beneath Broadway in Greenwich Village, and the name isn't a stretch - New York University's core campus surrounds Washington Square Park just a block or two west of the entrance. Between classes, students pour in and out of this station all day, and the surrounding blocks of used bookshops, cheap eats and small theatres reflect that.

This part of the Village has kept a lot of its old bohemian character even as rents have climbed. St Mark's Place and its tattoo shops and record stores are a short walk east, and Astor Place with its landmark cube sculpture is right around the corner. It's one of the more distinctly "New York" places to arrive by subway.

Station Overview

8th Street-NYU opened in 1917 as part of the BMT Broadway Line and sits in Zone 1. The N, Q, R and W trains all serve the station, though not all run at every hour - the W is a weekday and daytime service. The station has step-free elevator access.

Lines and Connectivity

The N, Q and R trains run through here around the clock, heading north to Union Square, Midtown and beyond, and south toward Lower Manhattan and into Brooklyn. The W train supplements service mainly on weekdays and daytime hours, running a similar route to the N. All four lines make this a well-connected stop for reaching almost anywhere along the Broadway corridor.

Station Layout and Structure

The station is underground, with two side platforms serving northbound and southbound trains beneath Broadway. Entrances are at street level near the intersection of Broadway and 8th Street, close to Astor Place. It's a fairly compact station without the sprawling passageways of the bigger Midtown hubs.

Accessibility

8th Street-NYU is ADA accessible, with elevators connecting the street to the platforms. Tactile platform edge strips and accessible fare gates are in place at the main entrance.

Travel Tips

• Washington Square Park and the NYU campus are a two to three minute walk west from the station.
• Remember the W train doesn't run at all hours - check the MYmta app if you're specifically relying on it late at night.
• St Mark's Place, one block east, is packed with cheap food options if you want a quick bite before or after your ride.
• Strand Book Store, a New York institution, is a short walk northwest on Broadway near Union Square.

Nearby Attractions

Washington Square Park - about 3 minutes on foot. The Village's central green space, with its landmark arch, chess tables and street performers, doubles as the NYU campus quad.

New York University - immediately surrounding the park. NYU's core buildings are woven into the surrounding blocks rather than gated into a single campus.

St Mark's Place - about 5 minutes on foot east. A historically countercultural stretch of 8th Street known for record shops, tattoo parlours and cheap eats.

Astor Place - right at the station entrance. Home to the rotating black steel Alamo cube sculpture, a popular meeting point.

Timings and Best Time to Travel

The N, Q and R trains run 24 hours a day, with the W adding extra service mainly on weekdays. Late nights are less frequent across all lines. The station gets busiest around NYU class changeover times on weekdays and in the evenings when the Village's bars and restaurants fill up.