Empire State Building wheelchair accessibility

The Empire State Building sits at 20 West 34th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, in the centre of midtown Manhattan. The closest fully accessible subway station is 34th Street-Herald Square (B, D, F, M, N, Q, R, W) with elevators on the corner of 34th and Sixth Avenue, two short blocks west of the entrance.

Penn Station (1, 2, 3, A, C, E and commuter rail) is a step-free walk of about ten minutes north along the avenue grid. Yellow cabs and accessible-vehicle dispatch can drop on West 34th Street directly outside the entrance; the kerb cut is on the south side of the street.

The 20 West 34th Street entrance is the wheelchair-accessible main entrance. The doors open onto the Art Deco lobby on one level. Security screening uses standard airport-style lanes; one lane is staffed for visitors who need assistance.

From the lobby, ramps lead to the express elevator banks for the 80th-floor exhibit and the 86th Floor Observatory. Staff are on hand at the elevator banks if you need to time the lift for a wheelchair-clear cabin.

The 86th Floor Observatory is the main open-air viewing deck. The deck is step-free with a wide perimeter walkway. Lowered viewing walls and binoculars are positioned so seated visitors can see across the skyline without standing. The accessible restrooms are on this floor.

The 102nd-floor enclosed observatory sits one elevator above and is step-free once the additional elevator is taken. The space is smaller than the 86th, with continuous floor-to-ceiling windows and step-free clearance around the deck. Plan to use the 86th-floor accessible restrooms before going up.

Buy timed tickets online before arrival to skip the standby queue. The shortest waits are at opening (8 a.m.) and after 8 p.m. The 86th floor stays open until 2 a.m. on most nights, which suits visitors who prefer to time their visit around the rush.

Service dogs are welcome throughout the building. Bring a charged phone, the building's official app has step-free route maps from each entrance to the elevators. There is no published companion-free admission for wheelchair users; both tickets are standard adult rate.

Address: 20 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001. Accessible entrance: 20 West 34th Street main entrance. Open: daily, with extended late hours. Wheelchairs: motorized and non-motorized permitted. Accessible restrooms: lobby and 86th Floor Observatory. Companion-free admission: not published. Nearest step-free subway: 34th Street-Herald Square.