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Honestly, the hardest thing about the New York City Marathon might be getting to the start. Due to the race’s route, which winds its way through all five of the city’s boroughs, the starting line is located in Fort Wadsworth, near the base of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge in Staten Island. Unlike marathons such as Berlin and Chicago which start and end in the heart of their cities, the NYC Marathon begins in a fairly inaccessible area.
I know lifelong New Yorkers who have never ventured that deep into Staten Island, so for visitors, the trek is daunting. But never fear! I’m here to help you make it to the start on time and without pulling too much of your hair out. These are your options for transportation to the NYC Marathon starting line.
How to take the ferry to the NYC Marathon start line
The easiest method, especially for those staying in Brooklyn and lower Manhattan, is to take the Staten Island Ferry from Battery Park. You’ll avoid all traffic and road closures, and you get a nice early morning view of the Statue of Liberty along the way.
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Take the subway to the southern tip of Manhattan. The closest stops to the ferry terminal are South Ferry on the 1 line, Whitehall Street-South Ferry on the W line, and Bowling Green on the 4 or 5 lines. (It should be noted that the R line, which usually stops at Whitehall, is rerouted for the weekend—so avoid those trains). However, several other lines will get you to the Financial District and will just include a slightly longer walk from the subway to the ferry. Those stops are the Fulton Street on the A or C lines, Broad Street on the J or Z lines, Wall Street on the 2 or 3 lines, and the World Trade Center Path station. Alternatively, you could take a bus to the ferry although that could be trickier with road closures. The M15, M20, and M55 buses will get you the closest.
Head to the Staten Island Ferry terminal, where you’ll join thousands of other runners on a 30-minute-long boat ride to Staten Island.
At the ferry terminal on Staten Island, you can hop on one of the many shuttles which will take you to the race start. Just follow the crowd.
How to take the bus to the NYC Marathon start line
The NYC Marathon also provides bus transportation to the start from two points: one in midtown Manhattan and one in New Jersey. If you’re staying in Queens, upper Manhattan, or the Bronx, the Manhattan bus might be the easiest route. If you’re in New Jersey, that bus will certainly be the most convenient.
Midtown Manhattan bus
The bus pickup location is by the New York Public Library on the corner of 42nd Street and 5th Avenue. You can easily take the subway to a nearby station. Time Square is the stop on the 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, N, Q, R, W, and 7 lines. Bryant Park is the stop on the B, D, F, and M lines. Grand Central Station is the stop on the 4, 5, and 6 lines.
New Jersey bus
This bus pickup location is in Parking Lot K of the Met Life Stadium. However, this isn’t easily accessible by public transit and there is no parking, so in order to take this bus, you’ll need someone to drop you off at the stadium.
How to drive by car to the NYC Marathon start line
Lastly there is the option to drive to the start, which makes the most sense for those staying in Staten Island. However, there is no parking at the start, so you’ll need either a friend or an Uber to drop you off outside Fort Wadsworth at the intersection of Lily Pond Avenue and McClean Avenue. It should be noted that both the Staten Island Expressway and Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge close to traffic at 7:00am on race day, so if you’re driving from either Brooklyn or New Jersey, you will need to get an early start.
Matthew Huff is a freelance writer and runner, and he is the author of MARATHONER: What to Expect When Training for and Running a Marathon, published by Rizzoli Publications. His writing has appeared in Runner's World and BuzzFeed among others, and he is the cohost of “P.S. You’re Wrong: A Pop Culture Podcast.” Originally from Michigan, he now lives and runs in New York City, where he is pursuing a career as an expert chicken tender taster.
