How to Get to Radio City Music Hall: Subway, Entrances, Bags & Arrival
Radio City Music Hall is at 1260 Avenue of the Americas (Sixth Avenue), between West 50th and West 51st Streets in Midtown Manhattan. A good arrival plan is more than a subway stop: you need to choose a reliable train, find the entrance that suits your seat, arrive before the security rush and have your digital ticket ready. This guide uses the venue’s current official instructions, with specific 2026 Christmas Spectacular guidance identified separately from year-round travel tips.
Between West 50th and 51st Streets in Midtown Manhattan.
The B, D, F and M lines serve this station in ordinary service; check current MTA changes.
The venue recommends walking two blocks east from 50th Street/Broadway to Sixth Avenue.
The 2026 Christmas Spectacular recommends arriving at least one hour early.
Bags need not be clear, but must fit under a seat; no bag or coat check.
The venue identifies the box-office entrance near West 50th Street.
Where exactly is Radio City Music Hall?
The venue address is 1260 Avenue of the Americas, the same road commonly called Sixth Avenue. Radio City occupies the block between West 50th and West 51st Streets, opposite the Rockefeller Center area. Do not confuse it with Madison Square Garden near Penn Station: the two venues are in different parts of Midtown.
The main box-office lobby is on Sixth Avenue between 50th and 51st Streets. Other Radio City entrances are on West 50th and West 51st Streets east of Sixth Avenue. Which door to use can depend on the seating area and current event setup, so follow the entrance directions on your ticket and venue signage.
Put “Radio City Music Hall, 1260 Sixth Avenue” into your maps app—not simply “Rockefeller Center,” which covers a larger complex.
Closest subway: 47–50 Sts–Rockefeller Center
The 47–50 Sts–Rockefeller Center subway stop on Sixth Avenue is a natural arrival station for Radio City. It is served by B, D, F and M trains under normal route patterns. Train service can change on evenings, weekends and holidays, and an advertised line does not guarantee the same service every day.
After leaving the station, head north along Sixth Avenue toward West 50th Street. The venue is between 50th and 51st. Check the station exit signs rather than assuming every stair or elevator puts you on the same corner.
The separate 50 St station on the 1 line at Broadway also works, especially for visitors coming from Penn Station. From Broadway, walk east on West 50th Street toward Sixth Avenue.
Check MTA service shortly before departing. If a line is rerouted, plan around your actual starting station instead of forcing a fixed train recommendation.
From Penn Station and Moynihan Train Hall
The Rockettes’ own Plan Your Visit page recommends taking the 1 subway uptown from Penn Station to 50 St/Broadway, then walking two blocks east to Sixth Avenue. This is a practical route for many Amtrak, LIRR and NJ Transit arrivals, though the best station entrance depends on where your train arrives.
Allow separate time to leave the rail station, find the subway, travel, walk to Radio City and pass venue security. A train arriving at Penn Station shortly before showtime does not mean you will reach your seat on time.
For a group carrying small children, pick one meeting point inside or just outside Penn Station before moving to the subway.
From Grand Central Terminal
The venue’s published route from Grand Central uses the 42 Street Shuttle or 7 train to Times Square, a transfer to the uptown 1 train and a walk east from 50 St/Broadway. This is a published option, not a claim that it will always be the fastest route.
Grand Central and Radio City are both in Midtown, so some visitors may prefer walking above ground if mobility, weather, street conditions and time allow. Compare the walk with live MTA service instead of automatically adding transfers.
If the Grand Central Holiday Fair is part of your plan, remember that the indoor fair starts November 9, 2026 and runs through December 24; it is not available on the Rockettes’ November 4 opening day.
Do not build a same-evening itinerary on a transfer time alone: budget for the terminal exit, venue line and security.
Radio City entrances on 50th Street, 51st Street and Sixth Avenue
The Rockettes FAQ identifies entrances on West 50th Street east of Sixth Avenue, West 51st Street east of Sixth Avenue and via the box-office lobby on Sixth Avenue between the two streets. Venue staff may direct guests toward the quickest entry for their ticket location.
For the 2026 Christmas Spectacular, the venue says Candy Cane Greeters help visitors select the correct entrance. If you have tickets for different levels or an accessible seating plan, check official directions before joining the longest visible queue.
Meeting friends outside? Choose a specific corner and side of the street. “At Radio City” can refer to several entrances on a very busy block.
What time should you arrive for the Christmas Spectacular?
For the 2026–27 Christmas Spectacular, Radio City recommends arriving at least one hour before the printed showtime, which is when doors open. Arriving less than 30 minutes early can mean missing the opening; late seating is held until appropriate scene transitions.
The show runs about 90 minutes without an intermission. That runtime describes the performance, not your total time from subway station to exit. Lines, security, bathroom stops and Midtown foot traffic can add substantial time on both ends.
Check the ticket calendar for the showtime on your exact date rather than assuming the performances have one daily start time. The season runs November 4, 2026 through January 4, 2027.
Work backward from the showtime: target the entrance an hour early, and add walking and train variability before that.
Bag policy: travel light and avoid a rejected item
Radio City’s current venue instructions say bags do not have to be clear, but must fit comfortably under your seat. Oversized bags larger than 22 by 14 by 9 inches are prohibited. Radio City does not provide a place to check bags, coats or other personal possessions.
This makes the venue a poor last stop before hotel check-in if you still have a suitcase. Store luggage elsewhere before the performance, and remember that posted policies can change by event.
Check the official Plan Your Visit page on show day; do not assume a small rolling suitcase will be accepted.
Accessible entry, drop-off and elevator checks
Radio City identifies the Sixth Avenue box-office entrance near West 50th Street as its accessible entry point. Its accessibility information also identifies Sixth Avenue between West 50th and West 51st Streets for Access-A-Ride and ride-sharing pickup or drop-off. Contact the venue’s Accessibility Services department before arrival if you need a specific accommodation or a service-animal seating setup.
Subway elevators and planned accessibility changes require a separate live MTA check. The 47–50 Sts–Rockefeller Center station is listed in MTA accessibility resources, but an elevator that ordinarily exists can still be out of service on the day of your visit.
For someone who cannot comfortably walk from a train platform to the venue, choose the station exit and final few blocks based on the current MTA accessibility notices, not simply the shortest route on a map.
An accessible venue entrance does not guarantee every nearby subway elevator is operating; verify both parts of the trip.
Driving or ride-hail: why Midtown timing is less predictable
The Rockettes’ official visit guidance identifies Fifth Avenue between West 50th and West 51st Streets as a recommended car drop-off area. Treat that as a general destination guide, not a guaranteed legal stopping place when police, security or event restrictions are in effect.
Holiday-season crowds, Fifth Avenue events and NYC Gridlock Alert Days can make surface trips unusually slow. For a ticketed, fixed-time performance, subway and walking are often easier to control than a car trip across Midtown. If you drive, compare available garages and their actual posted costs rather than assuming street parking next to the venue.
After a show, step away from the immediate marquee area before arranging a pickup if street conditions allow; follow all posted restrictions and instructions from event personnel.
Use the live street-closure page and MTA status before setting your departure time, especially during the December holiday peak.
Digital tickets, box office and cashless payment
The 2026 Christmas Spectacular uses digital tickets; its calendar states Will Call is not available. The official Rockettes ticket tutorial says screenshots and printouts are not accepted. Open the correct tickets in the Rockettes App or linked Ticketmaster account and add them to your mobile wallet ahead of time where supported.
Radio City’s box office is inside the Sixth Avenue entrance near West 50th Street. The venue is cashless and accepts card and supported mobile payments. The current FAQ describes a reverse ATM for visitors arriving with cash.
The box office has event-specific hours and does not replace the need for a valid digital entry ticket. Always check current show information before leaving your hotel.
Save your ticket before joining the security line and make sure every member of the party can access the correct barcode.
Pair Radio City with nearby attractions—without overbooking
Rockefeller Center is next door in Midtown. In early November 2026, the Christmas Tree arrives November 7 but is not illuminated until the December 2 lighting. Avoid planning a November 4 show around a tree-lighting display that has not happened yet.
Bryant Park’s Winter Village and Holiday Shops are another seasonal Midtown anchor. The indoor Grand Central Holiday Fair begins November 9, and Union Square Holiday Market opens November 12; these have different start dates and neighborhoods.
Choose one pre-show stop with enough flexibility to reach Radio City early. For a daytime or evening performance, a simpler plan with one nearby meal or walk is usually more reliable than squeezing in several reservation-based sights.
Put a fixed-time show at the center of the itinerary and add only flexible stops around it.
Radio City directions and arrival checklist
- Save the exact venue address: 1260 Sixth Avenue, between West 50th and West 51st Streets.
- Check live MTA service; consider 47–50 Sts–Rockefeller Center for B/D/F/M or 50 St on the 1 line.
- If coming from Penn Station, the venue’s published route uses the uptown 1 train to 50 St/Broadway.
- If coming from Grand Central, compare walking against the published shuttle/7 and 1-train connection.
- Confirm the correct 50th Street, 51st Street or Sixth Avenue entrance for your ticket.
- For Rockettes, plan to reach the entrance at least one hour before showtime.
- Take a bag that fits under your seat and is no larger than 22 × 14 × 9 inches.
- Arrange luggage storage beforehand; there is no on-site bag or coat check.
- Have the original digital ticket ready, not a screenshot or printed copy.
- Check accessibility and elevator notices separately if needed.
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