Grand Central Station NYC: Is it worth a visit?
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New York Info
Allersma 123
5655 CD Eindhoven
info@newyorkinfo.nl
Grand Central Station NYC
Grand Central station NYC is the largest train station in the world. And every day, more than 750,000 people travel past this iconic station.
Grand Central station
Grand Central station NYC is often also called Grand Central Terminal or Grand Central. The iconic station covers over 174,000 square meters and has 44 platforms and 67 tracks on two levels. This makes it the largest train station in the world in terms of surface area. More than 750,000 people pass through the station every day, and during the holidays this number usually rises to more than 1,000,000.
Grand Central Terminal NYC
In 1871, magnate Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt built the Grand Central Depot for the New York Central Hudson River, New York and Harlem Railroad, and New Haven Railroad. But due to rapid growth, the depot was rebuilt in 1913 and renamed Grand Central Station, but many New Yorkers still often call it “Grand Central station.”
The ceiling of Grand Central station
The famous part of Grand Central Station NYC is the ceiling of the main concourse. This ceiling shows a beautiful astrological mural with twelve gold leaf constellations, complete with 2500 stars, 59 of which are illuminated with LED lighting. The special thing about this ceiling is that it is upside down. This was not noticed until shortly after the terminal’s opening in 1913, but the mural was never corrected.
Architectural details Grand Central Terminal
In the Grand Central Terminal or also Grand Station you will find various architectural details, such as acorns and oak leaves on the clock, the lamps and the elevator. These details were commissioned by the Vanderbilt family who built the Grand Central Depot. The acorn was the symbol of the Vanderbilt family. Their motto was “from an acorn a mighty oak will grow”.
Whispering gallery in Grand Central Terminal
In the Dining Concourse at Grand Central station NYC, near the famous Oyster Bar, you will find the iconic whispering gallery: The ceramic arches containing Guastavino tiles create an acoustic phenomenon. You might be whispering words in one corner, while another person in the opposite corner can hear everything loud and clear, even when the hall is very busy.
Tiffany Clock outside Grand Central station
Outside the Grand Central station building, overlooking 42nd Street, stands the world’s largest Tiffany glass clock. The clock has a diameter of 4 meters and around the clock you will find art statues of gods Mercury, Hercules and the goddess Minerva.
The Opal Clock in Grand Central's Main Concourse
Inside the Main Concourse, near the iconic information desk, is another famous clock, ‘the Opal Clock’. The four dials of this beautiful clock are made of opal. The clock is said to be worth more than $10 million.
Tennis court Vanderbilt Tennis Club
At Grand Central Terminal you can also play a game of tennis while you wait for your train. Tucked away on the fourth floor, the Vanderbilt Tennis Club is open to the public – or anyone willing to pay between $90 and $260 an hour, depending on the time of day and day of the week.
The departure signs at Grand Central
Many things at Grand Central are special, including the departure signs. The actual departure time for each train on Metro-Noord is one minute behind the published schedule. This is so that when passengers run to their train, the conductor can tell them not to run and to board safely, without having to worry about being late. As a result, Metro-North has the fewest slip and fall accidents of any railroad in the United States.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Train
Deep beneath Grand Central Terminal, lies a secret train station known as Track 61 that dates back to the 1930s. The train station was built to transport then-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt when he arrived in New York. The former president suffered from polio and was confined to a wheelchair, but he didn’t want people to see him like that and that’s why this station was built so that President Roosevelt, also known as FDR, could arrive secretly in a specially built train car. This train car had doors wide enough for the president’s limousine to drive away directly, and it would then ride through the doors of an extra-wide elevator. Eventually he would emerge upstairs in the ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, and no one would notice FDR’s physical condition. The secret station remained in full operation until 1945, when FDR died.
The secret M42 Sub-Basement
Deep beneath Grand Central Terminal lies a hidden power station known as M42, which does not appear on any map or blueprint. The basement would be almost as large as the main concourse. And during the Second World War the cellar was so important that you risked being shot on the spot if you went there. Adolf Hitler even sent four Nazi spies to infiltrate the railway system, but the authorities found and tracked down their luggage and captured the spies. The existence of the M42 cellar was only recognized in the late 1980s and its exact location is still not public.
Shops in Grand Central station
Grand Central station in New York is much more than a transportation hub, it is also great for shopping and many luxury brands have a store there, such as Apple Store, Banana Republic, Dry Martini, Li-Lac Chocolates and many others.
Restaurants at Grand Central Station
Grand Central Station is also a place where you can enjoy breakfast or lunch. most dining options can be found on the Lower Level Dining Concourse. Here you will find Central Market New York, Chirping Chicken, Dirty Taco, Frankies Dogs on the Go, Magnolia Bakery and many others.
The famous Oyster bar at Grand Central
One of New York’s most iconic restaurants is located in Grand Central Station, ‘The Oyster bar’. This restaurant with a chic appearance opened in 1913 and has more than 30 types of oysters, fish and seafood on the menu. And they also have an endless list of wine types. This beautiful restaurant is very easy to find, because from the Whispering Gallery you can walk straight into the famous Oyster Bar.
Is Grand Central station worth a visit?
A visit to Grand Central station is definitely worth it when you visit New York. The Grand Central is one of New York’s main attractions and offers a compelling mix of rich history, architectural details, excellent restaurants and diverse shopping.
Grand Central Tour
If you want to know all the ins and outs of Grand Central Station, you should definitely book a walking tour. The Grand Central walking tour is a lot of fun and is led by trained guides. These guides will take you to all the special places of the iconic Grand Central. More information about the Grand Central tour can be found via the link below.
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