The simplest answer to how to get to the US Open is the 7 train, and for almost everyone it is also the best answer. The tournament sits at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, Queens, and both the 7 subway and the Long Island Rail Road stop at Mets-Willets Point, a short boardwalk from the Main Entry. That rail-first design is not an accident; the venue was built to move huge crowds by train, which is why driving fights the departure and rideshare surges after night sessions. The 2026 event runs August 23 to September 13, with free grounds admission during Fan Week from August 23 to 29. This guide covers every way in, the 7 train, the LIRR, driving, rideshare, and the routes from Manhattan, Westchester, and the airports, and explains which one actually fits your trip.
Quick answer
- Best for almost everyone: The 7 train to Mets-Willets Point, about 25 minutes from Grand Central at $3.00.
- Fastest by rail: The LIRR Port Washington branch, roughly 19 minutes, $5 to $7 with a CityTicket.
- Closest airport: LaGuardia, just three miles and 10 to 15 minutes by car.
- The rule: The venue is built for rail, so the train beats driving on cost, speed, and the dreaded exit.
| Option | Reference cost | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 train (from Grand Central) | $3.00 | ~25 min | Almost everyone |
| LIRR (Port Washington) | $5-$7 CityTicket | ~19 min | Fastest rail |
| Driving + parking | $40/day cashless | Varies | Groups, day sessions |
| Rideshare / taxi | Surge 3-5x | Varies | Arrival only |
Fares are 2026 reference figures; the MTA adds extra 7 train and LIRR service during the tournament.
Understanding the rail-first venue
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park was built around transit, and the US Open leans on it harder than almost any event in the city. The 7 subway and the LIRR both terminate steps from the gate at Mets-Willets Point, so the tournament expects the bulk of its crowd to arrive by train, and the MTA runs added subway and LIRR service through the event to handle the surge. That design is the single most useful thing to know, because it explains why every road-based option struggles at the edges, a pattern the Westchester events guide describes for concentrated-demand venues.
The road options exist but inherit the venue’s bottlenecks. Driving means a flat $40 cashless parking fee at the Citi Field lots, a closest lot that closes whenever the Mets play at home, and an exit for which no issuer publishes a route or a wait time. Rideshare adds 3-to-5-times surge pricing and long post-session pickup waits on that same single exit, so the transit-versus-driving trade tilts hard toward rail. Neither road option is wrong, but both are choices you make for a reason, not defaults.
For visitors coming from the north, the rail connection is clean. From Westchester and Connecticut, Metro-North reaches Grand Central, where the 7 train departs for Mets-Willets Point, and the Metro-North airport connections guide maps how those rail systems link. That means a Westchester fan can ride the same predictable rail spine used for airport trips straight to the tournament, without ever touching the Queens road network.
What is the best way to get to the US Open?
The best way to get to the US Open is the 7 train to Mets-Willets Point, about 25 minutes from Grand Central at $3.00, a short boardwalk from the Main Entry. The LIRR Port Washington branch is faster at 19 minutes for $5 to $7. Driving means a $40 cashless lot and a slow departure, so rail wins.
Best option by starting point:
From Manhattan or Grand Central:
→ The 7 train, about 25 minutes
From Long Island or a fast rail trip:
→ The LIRR Port Washington branch, about 19 minutes
From Westchester or Connecticut:
→ Metro-North to Grand Central, then the 7 train
The transportation options in detail
The 7 train: the answer for almost everyone
The 7 subway is the default for a reason: it runs from Grand Central to Mets-Willets Point in about 25 minutes for a $3.00 fare, and the MTA adds service during the tournament to move the crowd. When you step off, a boardwalk leads directly to the Main Entry, so there is no transfer, no parking, and no exit jam. For anyone starting in Manhattan or connecting through Grand Central, this is the cleanest route in, and it scales to the biggest sessions without the road-based failure points.
Edge case: accessibility. Guests with disabilities can exit at 61st Street-Woodside and transfer to the 7 train, an accessible path the venue publishes for riders who need it.
The LIRR: the fastest rail option
The Long Island Rail Road is the quickest way in by rail, running the Port Washington branch to Mets-Willets Point in roughly 19 minutes from Grand Central Madison or Penn Station. With a CityTicket it costs $5 off-peak or $7 peak, and riders from other LIRR branches transfer at Woodside. For anyone on Long Island, or anyone who values a few minutes saved over the 7 train, the LIRR is the fastest seat to the gate, and NJ Transit riders can connect to it at Penn Station.
Edge case: Fan Week and off-peak value. During the free-admission Fan Week from August 23 to 29, the off-peak CityTicket makes the LIRR an especially cheap way to sample the grounds, pairing a $5 fare with free entry.
Driving and parking: for specific trips
Driving works for a day session on a non-Mets date, especially for a group splitting the flat $40 cashless parking, using the Grand Central Parkway to Exit 9E or the Whitestone Expressway to Exit 13D. The catch is the exit, for which no issuer publishes a route or a wait time, and the closest lot closes on Mets home dates. Traffic on these corridors also builds fast, the same Queens congestion the NYC bottleneck guide maps.
Edge case: arrive early. If you do drive, get there well before a day session, since the lots fill and early arrival beats the parkway build-up.
Rideshare and taxi: fine to arrive, hard to leave
A rideshare or taxi is a reasonable way to arrive, but a poor way to leave. Uber and Lyft surge 3 to 5 times normal pricing during the tournament, and pickup waits exceed 30 to 45 minutes after evening sessions as drivers navigate the same exit. The permitted drop-off and pickup points also shift with USTA and NYPD traffic control through the event, so the morning drop spot may not be the night pickup spot, a variability the taxi-versus-rideshare comparison frames.
Edge case: a booked car for a late finish. A pre-arranged car with a driver who knows the permitted zones removes the pickup gamble, worth the premium for a night session or a group with gear.
Getting there from the airports
LaGuardia is the closest airport by far, just three miles and 10 to 15 minutes by car along the Grand Central Parkway, the same route drivers use for the venue, which the LaGuardia transportation guide covers. JFK is about seven miles and 20 to 30 minutes by car via the Van Wyck, or reachable by rail through Jamaica and the LIRR Port Washington branch to Flushing. Newark is the farthest at 25 miles, and its transit route through Penn Station and the 7 train runs close to two hours, so from Newark a car is usually the practical choice despite the distance.
The airport picture reinforces the rail lesson: even from JFK, the cleanest transit is a rail connection that ends at Mets-Willets Point or Flushing, while the road options inherit the Van Wyck and the venue’s exit. For a fly-in trip timed to a session, LaGuardia’s three-mile proximity is the standout, and a short car or rideshare from there beats any longer rail chain.
Local insider tips for reaching the US Open
Default to the 7 train, especially for evenings
The 7 train removes the parking fee, the Mets-schedule uncertainty, and the slow exit in one move, and it matters most for evening sessions when the road options are at their worst. Unless you have a specific reason to drive, treat the train as the plan and the car as the exception.
Use the LIRR when minutes matter
If you are on Long Island or simply want the fastest rail seat, the LIRR Port Washington branch beats the 7 train by a few minutes and offers a more comfortable ride. Pair it with a CityTicket for the $5 off-peak fare, and transfer at Woodside if you are coming from another branch.
From Westchester, ride Metro-North to the 7
Westchester and Connecticut fans do not need to drive into Queens. Take Metro-North to Grand Central and step onto the 7 train, the same reliable rail spine used for airport trips, as the Metro-North lines guide details. It turns a daunting cross-city drive into a predictable two-seat ride.
If you fly in, choose LaGuardia
LaGuardia sits three miles from the gate, so a fly-in trip built around a session is easiest through LGA. A short car or rideshare covers the last few miles in 10 to 15 minutes, far simpler than the longer rail chains from JFK or the two-hour transit slog from Newark.
Plan the exit before the match ends
However you arrive, the departure is the hard part at a venue built around rail. On the train, expect a busy platform; by car or rideshare, expect a slow exit. Leaving a few minutes early or waiting out the first surge deliberately is the move that keeps a great match from ending in a slow escape.
Common failure scenarios
Driving to an evening session:
→ The exit is slow and no issuer publishes how slow
Booking a rideshare pickup after a night match:
→ Surge pricing and long waits at the same single exit
Driving on a Mets home date:
→ The closest lot is closed; the 7 train is smarter
Taking the two-hour Newark transit route on a tight schedule:
→ From Newark, a car is usually the practical choice
Assuming the closest airport is JFK:
→ LaGuardia is closer at three miles and 10 to 15 minutes
Not planning the departure:
→ Every mode bottlenecks at the exit; plan for it
Related guides
For the driving and parking details, see the companion US Open parking guide, and for another New York venue reached the same way, the Westchester to Yankee Stadium guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest way to get to the US Open?
The 7 subway train from Grand Central to Mets-Willets Point, about 25 minutes for a $3.00 fare, with a boardwalk leading straight to the Main Entry. It avoids parking, the Mets-schedule uncertainty, and the slow exit that follows evening sessions. The MTA adds extra 7 train service during the tournament, so it handles the biggest crowds, which is why it is the default for almost every fan.
How long does the 7 train take to the US Open?
About 25 minutes from Grand Central Terminal to Mets-Willets Point, the stop steps from the tennis center. The fare is the standard $3.00, and added service during the tournament keeps trains frequent. Once you arrive, a boardwalk leads directly to the Main Entry, so there is no transfer or walk through traffic, which is a large part of why the 7 train is the recommended route.
Is the LIRR or the 7 train better for the US Open?
Both stop at Mets-Willets Point, so it comes down to speed and starting point. The LIRR Port Washington branch is faster at roughly 19 minutes and more comfortable, at $5 to $7 with a CityTicket, and is ideal from Long Island or Grand Central Madison. The 7 train is cheaper at $3.00 and runs more frequently from Manhattan, making it the better all-round default for most fans.
How do I get to the US Open from Westchester?
Take Metro-North to Grand Central Terminal, then transfer to the 7 train, which reaches Mets-Willets Point in about 25 minutes. It is the same reliable rail spine Westchester riders use for airport trips, so it avoids the Queens road network entirely. The two-seat ride is far more predictable than driving into Flushing and dealing with the venue’s parking and slow departure.
Which airport is closest to the US Open?
LaGuardia, just three miles from the tennis center and a 10-to-15-minute drive along the Grand Central Parkway. JFK is farther at about seven miles and 20 to 30 minutes, though it offers a rail route through the LIRR to Flushing. Newark is the farthest at 25 miles, with a transit trip near two hours. For a fly-in built around a session, LaGuardia is clearly the easiest airport.
Should I drive to the US Open?
Only for specific trips, such as a day session on a non-Mets date with a group splitting the flat $40 cashless parking. For evening sessions, Mets home dates, or solo travel, the exit and the transit alternative make the 7 train the better choice. If you do drive, bring a card since the lots are cashless, and plan the slow departure.
What this comes down to
Getting to the US Open is mostly a solved problem, because the venue was built around the train that drops you at its gate. The 7 train from Grand Central is the answer for almost everyone at about 25 minutes and $3.00, the LIRR is the faster rail seat, and from Westchester the Metro-North-to-7-train ride turns a cross-city drive into a predictable two-seat trip. Driving and rideshare work for specific cases, a day session, a group, a fly-in through nearby LaGuardia, but both inherit an exit that punishes evening departures. Choose rail as the default, save the car for when it genuinely fits, and plan the exit before the match ends, and the trip to Flushing Meadows becomes the easy part of a great day of tennis.
Editorial note: fares, schedules and policies on this page are reference figures rather than quotes. Operators change them without notice and many vary by season, by event and by demand, so confirm the current price with the operator before you travel. Westchester Ride does not sell tickets or parking and does not accept payment to rank any operator.
