Home/Metro-North/Harlem/Mt Vernon West to Grand Central
Mt Vernon West → Grand Central
- Travel time
- 36min
- Peak fare
- $12.50
- Off-peak
- $9.25
- Weekday trains
- 41
Trains run direct from Mt Vernon West to Grand Central on the Harlem Line, no change of train. The trip takes 25 to 38 minutes and covers 12.8 miles with 8 stops in between. There are 41 trains each weekday, roughly one every 28 minutes, with the first at 5:06 AM and the last at 1:23 AM. A one-way ticket costs $12.50 at peak and $9.25 off-peak.
This is the inbound direction, into Grand Central. Weekday trains scheduled to arrive between 6:00 and 10:00 AM charge the peak fare, $12.50; the rest of the day and all weekend the off-peak fare, $9.25, applies. In this direction the gap between trains is about 14 minutes in the morning peak and 31 minutes at midday. 10 of the 41 weekday trains skip stops; the fastest run is what the travel-time range below reflects. Going back, Grand Central to Mt Vernon West has 49 weekday trains, first at 12:19 AM and last at 11:30 PM, taking 23 to 36 minutes. See the return trip.
Updated 21 Sep 2026 · Metro-North Railroad GTFS · MTA Metro-North fares to Grand Central, effective July 1 2026
The Harlem Line runs north from Grand Central through Harlem-125th Street, the Bronx, White Plains and Mount Kisco to Southeast, then on to Wassaic in Dutchess County.
Calling points
ServiceMt Vernon West to Grand Central
FaresZone 3 → Zone 1
Source: MTA Metro-North fares to Grand Central, effective July 1 2026.
How the pass break-even is calculated
Metro-North prices by fare zone, counted outward from Grand Central Terminal and Harlem-125th Street, which are zone 1. The Hudson and Harlem Lines use one series of zones; the New Haven Line uses a separate series that starts at zone 11, so a zone number on its own does not say how far you are from Manhattan. Trips that do not touch zone 1 use intermediate fares, which cost the same on every train.
Peak fares apply on weekday trains scheduled to arrive at Grand Central or Harlem-125th Street between 6:00 and 10:00 AM, to leave them between 4:00 and 8:00 PM, and on trains leaving Grand Central between 6:00 and 9:00 AM. Weekends and holidays are off-peak all day.
Tickets are sold in the MTA TrainTime app, at station machines and ticket windows, and on board at a higher price. Senior, disabled and Medicare fares are reduced but are not valid on weekday morning peak trains into Manhattan. Weekly and monthly tickets cover unlimited travel between two zones. Fares on the Connecticut portion of the New Haven Line and its branches are set with the Connecticut Department of Transportation and published on the same MTA fare charts this site reads.
Stopping pattern
Questions
How long is the train from Mt Vernon West to Grand Central?
Between 25 and 38 minutes on the published schedule; the typical run is 36 minutes with 8 stops in between.
Are there express trains from Mt Vernon West to Grand Central?
Yes. 10 of the 41 weekday trains skip stops. The fastest makes 0 stops and the fullest 8, which is the difference between 25 and 38 minutes.
Is it cheaper off-peak?
Yes. The one-way fare is $9.25 off-peak and $12.50 on a peak train. Peak means a weekday arrival at the terminal between 6:00 and 10:00 AM.
When is the first and last train from Mt Vernon West?
The first weekday departure is at 5:06 AM and the last at 1:23 AM. Weekends run 39 trains on Saturday and 33 on Sunday.
How often do trains run in the morning peak?
Between 6 and 10 AM the gap between departures averages about 14 minutes in this direction.
Are Mt Vernon West and Grand Central accessible?
Mt Vernon West is listed as fully accessible and Grand Central as fully accessible in the MTA station dataset. Lift outages are not reflected here; check the operator before you travel.
Which fare zones does this trip cross?
Mt Vernon West is in zone 3 and Grand Central in zone 1. The fare is set by those two zones, not by the stops in between.
Do I need to change trains?
No. Every train counted here runs direct on the Harlem Line.