Lend us you expertise with NYC, subway, and Yankees

August 8, 2014 4:14 PM

Lend us you expertise with NYC, subway, and Yankees

We will be in NYC the week of Sept 21. We're thinking of going to a Yankees game. Neither of us are baseball fans, just going for the experience. We're looking at the game on Wednesday the 24th at 1:05 pm vs Orioles. I'd prefer to put off buying tickets until the last possible moment, in case the weather is bad. What are the chances of this game being sold out?

Also, we're staying in Chelsea. Looking at the MTA map, this is one way to get from Chelsea to Yankee Stadium:
Get on the 1-2-3 at 23rd St. to 42 st
Walk to Times Square
Take 7 or S to Grand Central
Take 4-5-6 to Yankee Stadium

Is there a better way, perhaps one without that walk?

Any other related advice you can offer is welcome.

Oh, while I'm here, one other thing. I'd like to leave a funny sign on my office saying something to the effect of "I'm in New York City, you are not. Neener neener". Could have a map of Manhattan with arrows. or anything. Any ideas for that?

posted by falsedmitri to Travel & Transportation (17 answers total)

How about walking one block over to Sixth and 23rd and taking the D express all the way up?
posted by mochapickle at 4:22 PM on August 8, 2014

Well, as far as the subway goes, you take the 1 train from 23rd to 42nd and the 7 train is right there (down 2 flights of well-marked steps in the middle of the 1-2-3 platform). It's a free transfer, as is the switch to the 4 at Grand Central. No need to walk through Times Square.

Depending where in Chelsea you're staying, you can also walk east to the F/M at 23rd and 6th Avenue, then switch at 34th (this is the easiest transfer possible - just across the platform) to the uptown D train.

Here's a link to a subway map you can use to make your sign. Let us know if you're also planning a meetup - lots of Mefites here.
posted by Mchelly at 4:24 PM on August 8, 2014

Note that the 4 (not the 5 or 6) goes to Yankee Stadium.

You can get a shuttle from Times Square to Grand Central as well, if you don't want to bother with the 7.

You should be fine for tickets. You can probably get them for under value from stub hub the day of. I'm an Orioles fan living in NYC, and I don't think I've ever paid full price for tickets at Yankee Stadium the day before or day of.
posted by gaspode at 4:53 PM on August 8, 2014

walk to 6th and 23rd and then switch to the express at 34th or 42nd.

(23rd is a local only stop)

If you don't want to do that you don't want to take the 7 at Times Square - you want to take the shuttle (S) - which is like all of 100 yards from the north end of the 7th Ave (1-2-3) platform. Bit longer walk to the 4-5 at GCT then the 7, but I think in total its much faster. The 7 at Times square is a hike. 23rd is only a stop on the 1 btw.

But there is no walk outside of system either way.
posted by JPD at 4:54 PM on August 8, 2014

Thanks for recommended the stub hub, I hadn't heard of it. After buying tickets, do you then pick them up at the stadium?
posted by falsedmitri at 5:03 PM on August 8, 2014

There is some construction going on on the 7 line during the weekends. It doesn't run between some sections. Please check the following link for more information.

http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/7Line2014/MakingProgressin2014.htm.

Also check www.mta.info for the current alerts on all lines.
posted by SunPower at 5:31 PM on August 8, 2014

I'd recommend HopStop. It was very useful on my last trip to NYC because it updates with train detours. I was helping locals get around, seriously.
posted by girlmightlive at 5:34 PM on August 8, 2014

It's a short walk to Herald Square (34th and 6th) and you can take the D from there directly to Yankee Stadium. No transfers needed.

BTW, the 1/2/3 at 42nd Street is in the heart of Times Square. No need to walk to Times Square from there; that's where you are.
posted by Leatherstocking at 6:28 PM on August 8, 2014

How about walking one block over to Sixth and 23rd and taking the D express all the way up?

Nope, not possible. The D train does NOT stop at 6th and 23rd. It goes straight from West 4th to 34th St station, skipping 14th St and 23rd St.

As JPD and Mchelly say, either:

1. Take the Uptown F or M trains from 23rd St & 6th Ave and transfer to the Bronx-bound D at Herald Sq-34th Street
OR
2. Just walk over to Herald Sq-34th St and get on the Bronx-bound D train from there.

I recommend Embark or iTrans NYC as the two better NYC subway apps that take into account service advisories. I recommend that you also download Google Maps. I find the HopStop app to be clunky & it hasn't been updated for iOS 7 yet.

FYI: the official MTA NYC subway map is purposefully distorted and not geographically accurate, so you're often better off walking 1-2 long blocks than making multiple transfers.

Neither of us are baseball fans, just going for the experience. We're looking at the game on Wednesday the 24th at 1:05 pm vs Orioles. I'd prefer to put off buying tickets until the last possible moment, in case the weather is bad. What are the chances of this game being sold out

Welllllll... given that this is could be one of Derek Jeter's last games ever due to his impending retirement (assuming the Yankees don't make the playoffs), I am not sure this is the best plan.
posted by kathryn at 6:33 PM on August 8, 2014

Thanks for recommended the stub hub, I hadn't heard of it. After buying tickets, do you then pick them up at the stadium?

Usually, you get an instant download to print out the ticket. So you will have to be able to access a printer.
posted by gaspode at 6:36 PM on August 8, 2014

One thing no one has mentioned is that the subways will become a madhouse before and especially after the game, so prepare for that and prepare for potential delays. It will be worse than you think it will be.

Your best option by far is to take the D from 34th Street / Herald Square. The walk isn't that bad, and it will be a lot less annoying than having to transfer after just one stop.
posted by dekathelon at 11:28 PM on August 8, 2014

Eh the transfer is literally cross-platform.
posted by JPD at 4:54 AM on August 9, 2014

Thanks for all the train advice.

@kathryn - thanks for the Jeter advice. I had no idea.
posted by falsedmitri at 5:16 AM on August 9, 2014

not to burst your map idea bubble or anything but technically yankee stadium is in the bronx, not manhattan.

since you are not a baseball fan and are waiting to the last minute to buy tickets, it's possible it will sell out or become more expensive than you thought. if that happens another alternative would be to try to get tickets to a mets game at citi field (out in queens, right off the 7 train) - the stadium is a lot nicer and very convenient to get to, and tickets are crazy cheap. guaranteed to get seats. sure, the mets aren't the yankees, but the fans are loyal and fun to watch and the food/beer selection is pretty great.
posted by cristinacristinacristina at 5:48 AM on August 9, 2014

@gaspode: I've just purchased tickets to the Yankees game through StubHub. Thanks for that site, I'll be using that more in the future.
posted by falsedmitri at 8:41 AM on August 9, 2014

>>not to burst your map idea bubble or anything but technically yankee stadium is in the bronx, not manhattan.
Yes, I am aware of that. How is this relevant?
posted by falsedmitri at 8:41 AM on August 9, 2014

If you're not a baseball fan, have you considered going to see the Mets instead?
posted by Potomac Avenue at 8:27 PM on August 9, 2014