Master Index of Archived Threads


The Number 7 to Shea

ScarletKnight41 Sep 16 2005 10:43 AM

I used to take the Number 7 to Shea when I lived in the City, but that was a zillion years ago, and the Express was always under construction. Now that the Express is complete, where do I go to pick it up at Times Square? And where do I pick it up at Shea when I'm going back to Manhattan? Thanks :)

KC Sep 16 2005 11:01 AM

Not to be an assclown or anything but you go down the subway stairs and follow the purple 7 signs.

ScarletKnight41 Sep 16 2005 11:37 AM

Well, yeah. But is there a different track for the Express and for the Local? I'd like to avoid the 45 minute ride on the local if I can.

willpie Sep 16 2005 11:40 AM

IIRC, they all end up at the same place in Times Square. Look for the one with the 7 in a purple diamond, instead of a pruple circle. If you're still unsure, go to one of the windows where the transit guys stick their heads out and ask one of them.

ScarletKnight41 Sep 16 2005 11:43 AM

Thanks Willpie :) So I assume that, on the way back, I also look for the purple diamond, but that the trains run on the same track?

Frayed Knot Sep 16 2005 11:53 AM

The quicker way is often to take the E or F into Queens and transfer to the 7 where those lines cross which is only a few stops from Shea. They also give you more options on where to pick them up: E = 8th Ave, F = 6th anywhere below 53rd St. I've heard stories that the 7 Express does in fact exist but I have no first hand evidence that this is true.

KC Sep 16 2005 11:53 AM

There's no special tracks, and I don't think there's any express on Sunday anyway so you and mini knight are taking a tour of Queens the slow way.

MFS62 Sep 16 2005 11:55 AM

Maybe that's the problem. John Rocker took the local. Later

KC Sep 16 2005 12:01 PM

Actually, now that I think about it - you should know that alternate route just in case - going to Queenboro Plaza I think. Sometimes on the weekend the 7 doesn't go under the East River if they're doing work. I heard them announcing that last Saturday on the PA when we were going downtown.

ScarletKnight41 Sep 16 2005 12:07 PM

This is all good to know. I'll be traveling with MK, so I want to make sure I know what I'm doing. What's my best route from Penn Station? Or should I just say the heck with the subway and take the LIRR?

ScarletKnight41 Sep 16 2005 12:16 PM

Also, what about kid fares? I don't have to pay for my 9-year-old on NJ Transit on weekends. Is that the same on the LIRR? Not the subway, IIRC.

Johnny Dickshot Sep 16 2005 12:16 PM

I ride the 7 everyday and disagree with those who say the E (or N or R) to Queensboro is any faster. It might be sometimes. I tried to prove this once by leaving from the same place at the same time as co-workers on the way to same game (me on the 7, them on the N-to-7) though as I recall it, we wound up getting off the same train at Shea. It should be noted they boarded the N before I boarded the 7. So even though we ended up with the same times, I spent less time on the train, and wasted less time waiting for a train, which to me are bonuses. Not to mention they doubled their chances to get delayed. The 7 at Times Square runs on both tracks (either, really, and it doesn't matter which is xpress or local, since they only part company at Queensboro). So take whichever is the first to leave and it's a local, get off at Queensboro and switch.

ScarletKnight41 Sep 16 2005 12:24 PM

OK. My other option is to take the E train at Penn and switch at 74th/Roosevelt. I've never stopped at that station. Is that an easy transfer or a scary one? If the station is scary, I'll just go to Times Square and take the 7 (if it's running).

Johnny Dickshot Sep 16 2005 12:33 PM

The tracks nearer to Shea are Manhattan-bound, just follow the crowd after the game. Eh. Despite all I said above, starting at Penn I'd probably get the E to (EDIT) 74th/Roosevelt. The switch as I recall it is toward the rear of the E train. Come off the E, go upstairs, then walk back toward the opposite direction the E was traveling, as escalators to the 7 are in that directoion IIRC. No biggie, just a long walk if you come off the E near the front of the train.

martin Sep 16 2005 12:44 PM

i dunno if it is just me being a dummy, but i have had some annoyance with the poor labeling of 7 express trains out of manhattan. sometimes they come in to the station with a random half the cars showing the express diamond and the other half with the local circle. so i have to stick my head in the train and listen for the announcement.

ScarletKnight41 Sep 16 2005 02:00 PM

I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for all of the advice :)

Nymr83 Sep 16 2005 02:09 PM

there is no express on weekends.

ScarletKnight41 Sep 16 2005 02:16 PM

Thanks for the heads up about that.

G-Fafif Sep 16 2005 04:38 PM

Johnny Dickshot wrote: I tried to prove this once by leaving from the same place at the same time as co-workers on the way to same game (me on the 7, them on the N-to-7) though as I recall it, we wound up getting off the same train at Shea. It should be noted they boarded the N before I boarded the 7. So even though we ended up with the same times, I spent less time on the train, and wasted less time waiting for a train, which to me are bonuses. Not to mention they doubled their chances to get delayed. That was actually very funny, our exiting the same 7 at the same time from different cars. Mets beat the Mariners that night. When I worked very close to a 6-stop, it actually made more sense, 6 to N to 7. If everything worked right, I could get from Astor Place to Shea in 25 minutes. And if it didn't work, it took 40 minutes. Either way, it gave me something to do. E can stand for Erratic on weekends. If you're coming into Penn from Jersey, just take the 1 (or 2 or 3) uptown one stop to Times Square and board the 7 which, as has been pointed out, is local Saturday and Sunday no matter which train you get on. Whatever minutes you might not save will be more than made up by the lack of confusion. Unless you're hitting the LIRR on its once-hourly weekend run from Penn to Shea, it's not worth the extra fare or time. The New York Mets: Getting to the game is generally more interesting than the game itself.

ScarletKnight41 Sep 16 2005 04:49 PM

Thanks Greg. When I lived on the West Side it was a no brainer - the 1, 2 or 3 (and, eventually, the 9) to Times Square and the 7 the rest of the way. But this is the first time I'm attempting to take the train in from NJ, and with MK in tow I want to make sure I know what I'm doing.

Johnny Dickshot Sep 16 2005 05:02 PM

]That was actually very funny, our exiting the same 7 at the same time from different cars. Mets beat the Mariners that night. Full disclosure: I ran like hell.

G-Fafif Sep 16 2005 05:17 PM

Johnny Dickshot wrote: [Full disclosure: I ran like hell. LOL. Merely climbing the two flights of stairs at Woodside to get from the LIRR to the 7 platform exhausts me. If we're gonna start factoring in running, then your way is always going to beat mine.

G-Fafif Sep 16 2005 05:24 PM

ScarletKnight41 wrote: Thanks Greg. When I lived on the West Side it was a no brainer - the 1, 2 or 3 (and, eventually, the 9) to Times Square and the 7 the rest of the way. But this is the first time I'm attempting to take the train in from NJ, and with MK in tow I want to make sure I know what I'm doing. Not to load you up with extra commutation information, but the Port Washington line of the LIRR leaves from Penn for Shea at 11:22 and 12:22 (and the like). It gets to Shea in 17 minutes. I'm fairly certain they have half-fares for kids; buy before boarding to avoid extra charges. But as mentioned previously, you're just as well off with the 1 (or 2 or 3) to the 7. Buy a $10 Metrocard in advance and you can swipe the two of you through coming and going. (It will leave you with an extra fare, but it never hurts to have one in your wallet.) Egads, I'm turning into my sister's father-in-law, the guy who used to bring every conversation around to "what do you mean you don't take the express bus?"

ScarletKnight41 Sep 16 2005 05:38 PM

LOL. D-Dad was in the City the other day, so I had him bring home a Metrocard for me. He goes into the City often enough that he'll be able to use any of the extra rides. I saw the LIRR schedule. If they had a 10:22 I'd think about it, but waiting around Penn Station for an hour isn't any great shakes. I want to get the little guy to Shea early for the festivities - [url=http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/nym/fan_forum/popup_kidsclub_day.jsp]Kids Club Day Festivities[/url]. Last year's Kids Club day included clinics on the field with some of the players (Craig Brazell, Tyler Yates, coach Gary Pettis, and Danny Garcia). I think they found it difficult to run the clinics and still have batting practice, so they scrapped that this year. But MK is excited about being on the field for the National Anthem :)