How the Subway Built New York

5.0 (2 reviews) 1 h 30 min Free cancellation

out of 5

2 reviews

5.0

How the Subway Built New York — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

How the Subway Built New York, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Millions ride New York's subway every day. Few realize it built the city around them.

Ride the historic 42nd Street Shuttle and discover how transportation transformed Midtown Manhattan into one of the world's greatest centers of business, entertainment, and commerce.

From Grand Central Terminal to Times Square, Broadway, the Diamond District, Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, and St. Patrick's Cathedral, you'll uncover how moving millions of people every day created billions of dollars in economic activity—and shaped the skyline we know today.

You'll never look at New York's subway the same way again.

Private and Luxury Cultural Tours Historical Tours Rail Tours Walking Tours Additional fees Short term availability Weather Dependent - Low

At a glance

Duration: 1 h 30 min
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Up to 20 people
People per booking: 1–15
Guide: English
Operated by: Gotham Walks

Ages: Children (5–11 years) · Adults (12–61 years) · Seniors (62–100 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Admission fees: Admission fee

Not included

Not included: Public transportation (bus, subway, cable car, etc.): Subway Fare for train ride on the GCT to Times Square shuttle

Itinerary

Grand Central Terminal

20 min Admission included

Architecture and history of Grand Central, and how prominent New Yorkers took the case to the US Supreme Court to save the building from being destroyed
42nd Street

15 min Admission not included

Grand Central to Times Square shuttle subway ride; we will discuss the commuting pattern, NYC subway history, and its role in developing NYC culture and commerce.
Times Square / Theater District

10 min

Times Square, the crossroads, and its role in the expansion of population and commerce in NYC, the collapse of its quality of life, and the use of eminent domain driving it from a neighborhood to avoid to one of the leading family tourist destinations in the world.
Shubert Theatre

10 min

Shubert Alley: A deadly fire forced New York to rewrite the rules for every theater built after it — and Broadway's demise along with Times Square, battled back through one long-running hit show. the alley that regulation created.
Diamond District

10 min

An immigrant trade built on nothing but trust turned, deals on a handshake, one block into the diamond capital of America. Walk it, and watch deals worth millions happen in plain sight.
Rockefeller Plaza Manhattan New York City

10 min

A censored mural and a Rockefeller's refusal to back down shaped one of the most famous public spaces in the world. Stand in the plaza that fight built, where the world famous ice skating rink and tree are the center of the city for 6 weeks every year.
St. Patrick's Cathedral

15 min

Faith and commerce have stared each other down on this exact corner for almost a century. Stand between them and decide which one's winning.