Broadway, New York - all you need to know

Broadway is one of the oldest and longest streets in New York.

It dates back to the days of New Amsterdam and stretches from the very southern tip of Manhattan all the way to the Bronx and on into Westchester County. Its total length is an impressive 53 km, andit is one of the few streets in New York that breaks away from the city’s precise grid pattern, running diagonally across the city in an irregular pattern.

The 10 best hotels in New York

Broadway is also inextricably linked with the world’s most famous musical and drama theatres.

Broadway, the brand

Famous musicals and theatres

Broadway is one of the cultural hearts not only of New York, but of the entire United States. Local musicals in particular have given the world many famous productions, which have had thousands upon thousands of performances and remain as popular as ever.

The longest-running musical on Broadway is *The Phantom of the Opera* (continuously since 1987), although it premiered in London. The world’s most famous musical to have premiered directly on Broadway is *Jesus Christ Superstar*.

The jazz musical *Chicago* is also one of the Broadway classics.

The most famous Broadway shows

The heart of Broadway’s musicals and theatre scene can be found in the area Times Square roughly between 40th and 53rd Streets. The term ‘Broadway theatre’ refers not only to one specific theatre but also to the collection of theatrical productions staged in the 41 theatres with a capacity of more than 500 seats on Broadway.

Along with London’s West End, Broadway Theatre is considered the most successful theatre circuit in the world.

And which specific theatres and musicals can you visit here? We’ve listed just a few of the most famous venues that you definitely shouldn’t miss if you’re a culture enthusiast:

Gershwin Theatre – the largest theatre on Broadway
Broadway Theatre – the second-largest venue and the only theatre that also shares its name with the street
Majestic Theatre – the main tourist attraction is *The Phantom of the Opera*, which has been running here for the longest time
Ambassador Theatre – famous for its renowned adaptation of the musical *Chicago*
Al Hirschfeld Theatre – the most sought-after venue for the musical *Moulin Rouge*
New Amsterdam Theatre – the theatre’s flagship production is the Disney musical *Aladdin*
Minskoff Theatre – The main production staged here is the musical *The Lion King*
Lunt-Fontanne Theatre – The musical *Tina*, one of the most successful shows of recent years, is performed here

You can find a complete list of Broadway theatres on the official website ibdb.com.

Where to buy tickets for the shows

Tickets are sold by many organisations and travel agencies, but we recommend purchasing them through the official channels of the Broadway Theatre organisation, most commonly the Ticketmaster website.

The official website provides a clear overview comparing all currently running shows ibdb.com.

Prices range from 30 usd to 200 usd depending on the popularity of the show and the seat location in the theatre.

If you don’t want to plan ahead, we recommend popping into the TKTS booth right at Times Square, where same-day tickets are available with discounts of up to 50 per cent.

Sights and attractions on Broadway

As well as the theatre district mentioned above, Broadway also boasts other tourist attractions. And why wouldn’t it, given that it stretches for over 50 km, 21 km of which are in Manhattan alone.

The theatre district is always the busiest, Times Square, where thousands of neon and LED lights, advertisements and billboards shine out into the world day and night. This part of the city was developed before 1916, when building regulations came into force requiring skyscrapers to have tapered tops so that more light could reach the streets. As a result, the central section of Broadway is a veritable canyon of skyscrapers, where the sun only manages to penetrate by chance, which lends itself to the vibrant atmosphere created by the illuminated advertisements.

Other points of interest you shouldn’t miss whilst strolling along Broadway:

The Flatiron Building
Charging Bull
Wall Street (at the southern end of Broadway)
Central Park
Macy’s department store

Our favourite part of Broadway

For many tourists, the word ‘Broadway’ mainly brings to mind the area around Times Square, which we personally didn’t like very much due to the huge crowds.

In my opinion, the most beautiful part is aroundthe Flatiron Building, where a section of the street is even reserved exclusively for pedestrians and cyclists.

Broadway near the Flatiron Building

Hotels on Broadway

Broadway is one of the most famous streets in the world, so it stands to reason that hotel prices here will be the highest in New York. Right on Broadway, expect prices for one night in a double room to range from 6,500 to 619 eur.

Hotels in the ‘theatre district’ around Times Square:

Hotels in the southern area around the financial district:

Residence Inn by Marriott NY Downtown ****

Transport to Broadway

In its southern section, Broadway is served bythe yellow R and W underground lines, which are joined for a short stretch by the N express line.

At Times Square–42nd Street station, the red lines 1, 2 and 3 take over, with lines 2 and 3 branching off at the central section of Central Park, leaving only line 1 to continue north along Broadway.

Most of the other metro lines cross Broadway in various places in an east-west direction.

Find out more about getting around New York in the Transport and Underground sections.