Broadway Top 10 CityPASS®

New York Grand Central Terminal: History & Hidden Secrets

2 Reviews 5.00 out of 5 stars Based on 2 reviews collected by Cool New York City and TripAdvisor |
Recommended by 100% of reviewers
100% of reviewers gave this experience a rating of 4 or higher.
| New York City, USA
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from $39 per person

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New York Grand Central Terminal: History & Hidden Secrets Image 1
New York Grand Central Terminal: History & Hidden Secrets Image 2
German U-boat U-202
Western Staircase and Oyster Bar at Grand Central
The Famous Celetrial Ceiling

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On average, this is booked 18 (0) days in advance.
2 hours 1 minute (approx.)
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Offered in: English

Overview

Join us for an unforgettable journey through Grand Central Terminal one of New York City’s most iconic landmarks and a masterpiece of architecture, history, and hidden secrets.
An immersive 2 hour walking tour discovering hidden secrets most tours miss including:
Secrets of the Whispering Gallery – Hear your voice travel across vaulted ceilings in one of NYC’s most mysterious acoustic marvels.
A Clock Worth Millions – Stand beneath the famed four-faced opal clock, a timeless meeting place and symbol of the city.
Architectural Grandeur: Marvel at Beaux-Arts elegance, celestial ceilings, and Tiffany glass while learning how this terminal reshaped Manhattan.
Hidden Passageways: From secret platforms to Prohibition-era speakeasies, dive into the lesser-known chapters of Grand Central's colorful past.
Whether you're a history buff, architecture lover, or curious traveler, this tour offers insider access and captivating stories you won’t find in guidebooks.

What's Included

  • Tour Guide
  • Gratuities always appreciated
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Meeting Location

Meeting point

East 42nd Street
New York, NY 10165, USA

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Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

End point

East 42nd Street
New York, NY 10017, USA

In front of the entrance for Grand Central Terminal

What To Expect

Grand Central Terminal

On this immersive 2 hour walking tour, you’ll uncover: Secrets of the Whispering Gallery – Hear your voice travel across vaulted ceilings in one of NYC’s most mysterious acoustic marvels.A Clock Worth Millions – Stand beneath the famed four-faced opal clock, a timeless meeting place and symbol of the city.Architectural Grandeur – Marvel at Beaux-Arts elegance, celestial ceilings, and Tiffany glass while learning how this terminal reshaped Midtown Manhattan.Hidden Passageways & Untold Stories – From secret platforms to Prohibition-era speakeasies, dive into the lesser-known chapters of Grand Central's colorful past.A Living Landmark – Discover how Grand Central isn’t just a train station—it's a vibrant destination with shops, dining, and events woven into the city's daily life.
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10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Grand Central Market

A European-style gourmet shopping experience steps from subway. The Market features local vendors offering various items and prepared foods. All merchants are local businesses and many of the products are locally sourced.
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10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Graybar Building

Walk the Graybar Passage flanked to the North by the Graybar Building and Metro North Tracks - to the south, numerous retail shops, The Graybar Passage is a major thoroughfare from Lexington Avenue into the Main Concourse of Grand Central.
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10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Dining Concourse

The Lower Dinning Concourse at Grand Central Terminal is one of the city's greatest public spaces. Described as "the best-designed transit hub, a stunning work of Beaux-Arts architecture" is considered a landmark location filled with history and secrets. It is one of the world's top ten tourist attractions.There's always a lot going on here, and it's been that way ever since it first opened in 1913. One thing that's relatively new: Grand Central has become something of a dining and drinking destination, bouncing back after an early-pandemic slumber with a slew of new openings and revitalized old favorites.For out-of-town visitors, area workers, commuters grabbing a bite
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10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Grand Central Terminal

LIRR Grand Central Madison Station, opened in January 2023, is a major addition to the Long Island Rail Road network, located deep beneath Grand Central Terminal. This terminal is the centerpiece of the East Side Access project, the most significant expansion of LIRR service in over 100 years. It offers direct service from Long Island to the East Side of Manhattan with eight tracks and four platforms spread across a 350,000-square-foot facility,
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10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Grand Central Terminal

Known as the “Kissing Room,” the Biltmore Room served as a space for arriving travelers to greet and reunite with loved ones. In its peak, many travelers were soldiers returning home from the battlefield. Located in the Northwest corner of Grand Central Terminal’s main upper level, it gained its name because it sits directly below the former Biltmore Hotel, from 1913.
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10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Grand Central Terminal

Track 34 - The "20th Century Limited" originally ran from New York’s Grand Central Terminal to La Salle in Chicago, from 1902 to 1967, and was the flagship train of the New York Central railway. From the start of the journey in New York, every aspect of the 20th Century Limited was geared towards glamourous. Passengers would walk along Track 34 towards their berth along a long red carpet, The ‘20th Century Limited’ is where the expression ‘red carpet treatment’ was formed.
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10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Grand Central Terminal

The Whispering Gallery. If you stand close against the tile wall in the domed intersection of walkways on the lower floor of Grand Central Terminal and you'll discover a secret: a corner-to-corner whispering gallery.
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10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Grand Central Terminal

Grand Central Terminal is one of the most-visited destinations in NYC for good reason: Incredible history, architecture, dining, and shopping, all in one place. View the Celestial Ceiling aka Zodiac Ceiling painted in 1871
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10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Campbell Apartment

The Campbell is a bar and cocktail lounge in Grand Central Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The space, long known as the Campbell Apartment, was once the office of American financier John W. Campbell, a member of the New York Central Railroad's board of directors. It was later used as office space, as a studio by CBS and as a jail by Metro-North Railroad. Renovations in 1999 and 2007 restored the space to its original opulence at a total cost of nearly $2 million.
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10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

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Additional Info

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Some portions of Grand Central are not accessible by wheelchair/scooter
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Frequently Asked Questions

(6)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the New York Grand Central Terminal: History & Hidden Secrets?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (EST). Read more Apr 2025

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

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Activity code: C-241402P20

Traveler Photos

Reviews

5.00
2 reviews

Average 5.00 out of 5 stars based on 2 traveler reviews collected by Cool New York City and partner sites such as Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor

5 stars
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3 stars
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2 stars
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1 star
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Frequently Asked Questions (6)

Activity name

The answers provided below were previously given in response to questions from Cool New York City customers.

Filter by:

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the New York Grand Central Terminal: History & Hidden Secrets?
A:
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.
  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (EST).
Apr 2025
Q: What's included in the price?
A:
The following is included:
  • Tour Guide.
The following is NOT included:
  • Gratuities always appreciated.
Apr 2025
Q: What is the minimum age for this tour?
A:

There is no minimum age for this tour, so bring your wee one along for an adventure..

Apr 2025
Q: My date is not available in the calendar, I am just checking to see if it is available?
A:

If a date or time is not listed on the calendar, it’s sold out or unavailable for another reason. Support cannot assist further if a date or time is not on the calendar.

If you find a date and time that works for you, book it NOW because things always sell out at this time of year.

Apr 2025
Q: Is this an accessible tour?
A:

Accessibility information for the New York Grand Central Terminal: History & Hidden Secrets is as follows:

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
  • All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • some portions of Grand Central are not accessible by wheelchair/scooter
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Apr 2025
Q: Where is the meeting point for this activity?
A:

Detailed check-in instructions – including meeting point address, Google map, and parking information – for New York Grand Central Terminal: History & Hidden Secrets will be included in your confirmation email from Cool New York City. Please be sure to double and triple check your email address is correct at checkout so this important email makes its way to you!

 

 

Mar 2024

What's Included

Activity name

  • Tour Guide
  • Gratuities always appreciated

Additional Info

Activity name

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
  • All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • some portions of Grand Central are not accessible by wheelchair/scooter
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers

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You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (EST).

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