Out: There are plenty of commuters on the street at this early hour (8 a.m.), and almost everyone out is in office attire. There are, however, a few early-rising tourists I notice. The corner here at 8th and 42nd is surrounding by tall office buildings, the Port Authority Bus Terminal, and a large construction site. This intersection constitutes the edge of Times Square , and this is evident by all the neon and flashing lights extending to the east down 42nd St.
On 8th Ave. Show World Center
Up 8th there are also few older office buildings as opposed to the architecturally adventurous (see photo) or at least more modern skyscrapers near the stop.
In: The layout here is four track, two platform, with local and express access. They layout is strange, though, as the two platforms are significantly staggered with the uptown reaching from 42-44 St. and the downtown from 42-40 St. There are white tile walls on the local track side, but there is unmodified black tunnel on the express track side. There is a large “42” made of multiple tiles that alternate up and down along a blue tile stripe down the wall. “42” is also pointed onto small black tiles on the wall. The platform is wide with grey floor tiles, blue metal columns by the platform edge, and wheel chair access ramps. The station has a very large mezzanine with retail outlets and a tunnel to the 1/2/3/N/R/Q/W/S/7. The mezzanine is all beige and off white square tiles. There are numerous exits spanning form 40th to 44th Sts. as well as some doors leading directly into the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
