The best hotel near Madison Square Garden is the one with a simple way into Penn Station. The Garden’s own pages say the arena sits directly above that station. So a base on one of the subway lines that stops there shouldn’t need a change at the Garden’s end. A base on the New Jersey side can add a ferry and a shuttle, or a train schedule to check. Pick the route first. Then pick the room.
A group that books the room first and checks the route second can end up with an extra change or an unplanned walk on the way to the game or on the way back. It can also mean holding a room for a date that moves. So settle the game date first. Then get the route in hand before you pay for the room. You don’t want to learn the route on game night.
Before You Book a Hotel Near Madison Square Garden
According to the Garden’s own directions page, Madison Square Garden sits directly above Penn Station, and the 1, 2, 3, A, C and E trains run to 34th Street/Penn Station. That page also says riders can take the B, D, F, M, N, Q and R trains to 34th Street/Herald Square, then walk one block west to the Garden.
That difference shapes the stay. As a general rule, a base on one of the lines that stops at 34th Street/Penn Station shouldn’t add a walk at the Garden’s end, since the station sits under the arena. A base served by Herald Square adds the one block west. Neither is a problem. One just has a step the other doesn’t.
| Where you start | What the Garden’s pages list | What it leaves you with |
|---|---|---|
| Subway on the 1, 2, 3, A, C or E. | Ride to 34th Street/Penn Station. | The Garden sits directly above the station. |
| Subway on the B, D, F, M, N, Q or R. | Ride to 34th Street/Herald Square. | Walk one block west to the Garden. |
| PATH from New Jersey. | PATH trains also stop at 33rd Street/Avenue of the Americas. | The pages give no walking directions from that stop. |
| Ferry from Weehawken, Hoboken, Jersey City or Belford. | The ferry goes to Midtown at West 39th Street. | A free shuttle goes on to the Garden. |
| NJ Transit. | The pages point riders to the NJ Transit train schedule. | A schedule to check before the room is booked. |
| Long Island Rail Road. | The pages point riders to the Long Island Rail Road schedules. | Another schedule to line up with the game date. |
| Metro-North. | Take the Shuttle or the 7 train from Grand Central to Times Square. | Then the downtown 1, 2 or 3 train to 34th Street/Penn Station. |
The pages give no ride times and no fares, and they don’t list service hours. So a base that looks simple on a map can still mean a long ride. The Garden’s page points readers to the transit agency’s trip planner, so check the actual trip there before paying for a room.
If the Base Is in New Jersey or on Long Island
According to the Rangers’ transportation page, PATH trains from New Jersey stop at 33rd Street/Avenue of the Americas. That page says the ferry runs to Midtown at West 39th Street from Weehawken, Hoboken, Jersey City and Belford, and that a free shuttle goes on from there to Madison Square Garden. It also points riders to the NJ Transit train schedule, and riders coming from Long Island to the Long Island Rail Road schedules.
A base reached by ferry and shuttle has one more handoff than a base on a subway line. That doesn’t rule it out. Each handoff runs on somebody’s schedule, so as a general rule, check the times for the way there and the way back before you pay for the room.
On Game Night, From the Room to the Garden
Leave the room with the route already chosen. It’s the simplest way to keep game night calm.
A rider on the 1, 2, 3, A, C or E comes up at 34th Street/Penn Station, and the same directions page says the arena sits directly above it. A rider on the B, D, F, M, N, Q or R comes up at Herald Square and walks the one block west. One route ends under the arena. The other ends a block away. That’s the whole difference.
A group that plans to ride instead should read the rideshare note on that page. It says there’s no officially designated rideshare zone directly at Madison Square Garden, and that guests using rideshare services can be dropped off and picked up nearby along 7th Avenue or 8th Avenue between 31st and 34th Streets. So agree on one pickup street before the game starts, and make sure everyone in the group has it.
The same directions page also carries a block of step-by-step directions for guests with disabilities arriving at Penn Station. A traveler who needs those should read that section before choosing a base, because it can change which route and which entrance fit the trip.
After the Game, Plan the Ride Back Before You Pay
The Garden’s pages map the way to the arena. They don’t list late-night service. So plan the trip back as the same route in reverse, and look up the last train, ferry or shuttle on the carrier’s own schedule before the room is booked.
A base that needs two connections at the end of the night is a different trip from one that needs none. Both can work. The better base, as a general rule, is the one whose last departure you’ve already checked.
For sports trips across the city, there’s a broader look at planning New York sports trips from Yankee Stadium to the Garden.
What You Handle and What a Package Can Handle
A few pieces of this stay with the traveler, and they’re worth settling early. The game date comes first. Then the route and the schedules that go with it, plus the pickup street if the group plans to ride. For the rest, Major League Vacations’ Knicks page lists New York Knicks travel packages with tickets, hotel and transportation for New York Knicks home dates at Madison Square Garden, and vetted hotel options in New York with game-day logistics planned around Madison Square Garden.
That page also says a standard package can include game tickets at Madison Square Garden, hotel accommodations, airfare, airport transfers and local game-day transportation, and that every quote can be customized. It lists group and corporate travel too, with coordinated seating and hotel blocks, and one planning contact for fan clubs, companies, families and teams.
Its Rangers page lists the same Garden-based home-game packages, so a Rangers trip can start from New York Rangers travel packages.
The same route-first order applies in other cities. It’s the shape behind picking the way to Lumen Field before choosing a hotel for a soccer trip.
Frequently Asked Questions About a Hotel Near Madison Square Garden
Which station is Madison Square Garden above?
Penn Station. The Garden’s own directions page says Madison Square Garden sits directly above Penn Station, and that the 1, 2, 3, A, C and E trains stop at 34th Street/Penn Station. That’s why a base on one of those lines should need no change at the Garden’s end. Read that page before booking a room, because it owns the route detail.
Which teams play home games at Madison Square Garden?
Major League Vacations’ pages list home dates at the Garden for the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers. Its Knicks page covers tickets, hotel and transportation for Knicks home dates at Madison Square Garden. Its Rangers page covers the same for Rangers home dates. Pick the game date first, because the room shouldn’t come before it.
Is there a rideshare zone at the Garden?
Per the Garden’s directions page, there’s no officially designated rideshare zone directly at Madison Square Garden. The page says guests using rideshare services can be dropped off and picked up nearby along 7th Avenue or 8th Avenue between 31st and 34th Streets. So a group that plans to ride should agree on one pickup street before the game starts.
How do you reach the Garden from the B, D, F, M, N, Q or R trains?
Per the Garden’s pages, ride to 34th Street/Herald Square and walk one block west to the Garden. That one block is the difference between a Herald Square base and a Penn Station base. It’s short, and it’s worth knowing about before the room is booked, especially for a group with kids or luggage.
Pick the Hotel Near Madison Square Garden After the Route
Major League Vacations builds custom sports travel packages for fans, families, groups and companies, with ticket, hotel, flight and transfer options.
Read the Garden’s routes first. Settle the game date. Then book the room that fits the route, instead of bending the route around the room. As a general rule, the base with the fewest handoffs on the way back is the one you’ll be glad you picked.
Major League Vacations is not affiliated with or endorsed by any league, team, event or venue.
Before you book a hotel near Madison Square Garden, settle the date and the route, then Request a travel quote and tell Major League Vacations the game dates, the group size and where the group is starting from.