Empire State Building Tickets
Official Empire State Building tickets start at $46 for the 86th floor observation deck and are sold on esbnyc.com for a set entry time. The ticket for both the 86th and 102nd floors starts at $81, and Express passes that skip the lines start at $87. Tours and tickets from resellers start at $50.08 on Viator (6 compared, checked October 17, 2026).
- Official seller
- esbnyc.com (timed tickets)
- Entrance
- 20 W 34th St, between 5th and 6th Avenues
- 86th + 102nd floor
- From $81
- Least crowded
- Around midday, 12 to 2 pm
Empire State Building tours compared
The 6 most-reviewed Empire State Building tours and tickets on Viator, with starting prices for one adult. Some of these tours are fully sold out on up to 14 of the next 14 days, so book ahead.
| Tour | From | vs official | Rating | 102nd floor | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYC Empire State Building Observation Deck Ticket | $50.08 | +9% | 4.5 (7,793 reviews) | not stated | See on Viator |
| New York Pass: 100+ Things To Do including Empire State Building | $169.00 | 3.7× | 4.2 (1,402 reviews) | not stated | See on Viator |
| NYC Empire State Building Sunrise Experience + Starbucks Reserve | $146.98 | 3.2× | 4.5 (111 reviews) | not stated | See on Viator |
| Empire State Observatory and Grand Central Tour | $79.00 | +72% | 4.9 (10 reviews) | not stated | See on Viator |
| New York City Holiday Tour With Empire State Building | $109.00 | 2.4× | 5.0 (2 reviews) | not stated | See on Viator |
| Easy Access Empire State Building and Harry Potter Tour in NYC | $129.00 | 2.8× | 5.0 (1 reviews) | not stated | See on Viator |
Prices from Viator, checked October 17, 2026. "Not stated" means the tour listing doesn't say; read it before you book. Prices change by date.
Getting there
Around Empire State Building:
- 34th Street–Herald Square station (subway, train) · 750 ft · about 4 min walk
- 33rd Street station (subway) · 850 ft · about 4 min walk
- 28th Street station (subway) · 0.3 mi · about 7 min walk
- 35 bus stops within 0.3 miles
- 45 public parking lots and garages within 0.6 miles, at least 250 spaces
- Hotels nearby: The Hotel @ 5th Avenue (300 ft), nyma (450 ft), The Gregorian New York City (500 ft)
- Closest airports: LaGuardia (LGA) 6.2 mi · Newark Liberty International (EWR) 10.5 mi · John F. Kennedy International (JFK) 13.2 mi
Directions in Google Maps · View on OpenStreetMap
Straight-line distances from the venue. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Hotels, food and bars near Empire State Building
The closest hotel to Empire State Building is The Hotel @ 5th Avenue, 300 ft away (about 2 min walk). 54 hotels are within 0.3 miles. There are 247 places to eat within 0.3 miles, mostly Korean, Japanese and donut. 33 bars and pubs are within the same distance.
Hotels
- The Hotel @ 5th Avenue · 300 ft · about 2 min walk
- nyma · 450 ft · about 3 min walk
- The Gregorian New York City · 500 ft · about 3 min walk
- Hotel Stanford · 500 ft · about 3 min walk
- U Hotel Fifth Avenue · 550 ft · about 3 min walk
- Martinique New York on Broadway, Curio Collection by Hilton · 550 ft · about 3 min walk
- Life Hotel · 600 ft · about 3 min walk
- The Kixby · 600 ft · about 3 min walk
Places to eat
- Sushi teria · sushi · 50 ft · about 1 min walk
- Starbucks · coffee · 100 ft · about 1 min walk
- STATE Grill and Bar · restaurant · 100 ft · about 1 min walk
- Chipotle · Mexican · 150 ft · about 1 min walk
- Naya · middle eastern · 200 ft · about 1 min walk
- Dunkin' · donut · 200 ft · about 1 min walk
- Kawande Martin Cafe · coffee · 200 ft · about 1 min walk
- Turntable Chicken Jazz · chicken · 200 ft · about 2 min walk
Bars and pubs
- Legends · 150 ft · about 1 min walk
- Sir John's NY · 200 ft · about 1 min walk
- Pocha 32 · 300 ft · about 2 min walk
- Jack Demsey's · 350 ft · about 2 min walk
Straight-line distances from the venue. Places from OpenStreetMap contributors; opening hours change, so check before you go.
Events near Empire State Building in the next two weeks
- Heroes For Ghosts Pink Floyd Tribute · Sat, Oct 17, 6:30 pm
- Hamilton · Sat, Oct 17, 7:00 pm · from $624.00
- The Book of Mormon · Sat, Oct 17, 7:00 pm · from $239.38
- School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play · Sat, Oct 17, 7:00 pm · from $178.52
- Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody · Sat, Oct 17, 7:00 pm
- TERGI TO HUDSON 2026 | JAZZ FESTIVAL · Sat, Oct 17, 7:00 pm · from $103.06
Official ticket types and prices
Prices as published by the official seller. “See official site” means the seller only shows that price when you book.
| Ticket | Adult | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Main Deck – 86th Floor Observation Deck | from $46 | Open-air 86th floor deck (1,050 ft), exhibits on the 2nd and 80th floors, reschedule anytime |
| Flex Ticket | from $66 | 86th floor with flexible date entry |
| AM/PM Experience | from $67 | 86th floor twice in one day (day and night) |
| 86th & 102nd Floor Observation Decks (Top Deck) | from $81 | Open-air 86th floor plus enclosed 102nd floor (1,250 ft, floor-to-ceiling windows), glass elevator, exhibits |
| Express Pass – 86th Floor | from $87 | Skip-the-line entry to the 86th floor |
| Express Pass – 86th & 102nd Floors | from $122 | Skip-the-line entry to both decks, option to bypass 2nd and 80th floor exhibits |
| Starbucks Reserve Sunrise Ticket | from $135 | Early sunrise access to the 86th floor |
| Premium Experience (guided tour) | from $175 | Private guided tour, small group up to 7, skip-the-line |
| All Access Tour | from $500 | Private VIP entrance, private guided tour, small group up to 7 |
| NYC Locals Ticket | 25% off (NYC residents) | 86th floor access for New York City residents |
When tickets sell out
Official site says a reservation for a specific time is required and recommends buying online in advance; ticket policies say the observatories may close early on very busy days.
Discounts and free entry
Children 5 and under free when accompanied by an adult ticket holder (official ticket policies). Discounted tickets for children 6–12 and seniors 62+. NYC Locals Ticket 25% off for NYC residents. No free-admission days.
Opening hours
Open 365 days; hours vary by season. Oct 16 – Nov 1 (2026): 9:00 am – 11:00 pm, entry door closes 10:00 pm. Nov 2–5: 10 am – 10 pm (entry closes 9 pm); Nov 6–8: 9 am – 10 pm (entry closes 9 pm). Check the official hours page for later dates.
How long to plan
About 1.5–2 hours for both the 86th and 102nd floors; longer at peak times because of lines and elevators.
Travel tips
- Entrance: 20 West 34th Street, between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue (Midtown Manhattan).
- Subway B, D, F, M, N, Q, R, W to 34th St–Herald Square, about a 5-minute walk.
- Subway 1, 2, 3 or A, C, E to 34th St–Penn Station, about a 5-minute walk.
- Subway 4, 5, 6 or 7 to Grand Central, about a 10-minute walk.
Before you go
- Tickets bought on esbnyc.com are non-refundable (weather, lines and wait times are not grounds for refund), but most ticket types can be rescheduled via Manage My Booking.
- Observatories can close early, including on very busy days (official ticket policies).
Best time to visit
Official advice: least crowded 12 pm–2 pm, after the morning rush; also quieter after 8 pm. Busiest in the first two hours after opening and the hour right after sunset.
Good to know
How much is an Empire State Building ticket?
What is the difference between the 86th and 102nd floors?
How long does a visit take?
Do kids need a ticket?
When is the least crowded time?
Is it wheelchair accessible?
How do I get to Empire State Building by public transit?
What is the closest airport to Empire State Building?
Is there parking near Empire State Building?
Sources: esbnyc.com. Official facts checked October 17, 2026.