W 86 St/Columbus Av

The W 86 St/Columbus Av station anchors the Upper West Side’s transit spine, a stop as familiar to daily commuters as the brownstones along the avenue. Above the platform, 86th Street stretches west toward Riverside Park, its sidewalks busy with strollers and students from nearby Stuyvesant High School and PS 87. Buses funnel in from the West Side Highway, connecting riders to the A express, the local 1 train, and a network of uptown and downtown routes. Serving the neighborhood’s mix of families, hospital visitors, and neighborhood regulars, the station keeps local rhythms humming. Mid-block is 273 Columbus Avenue, the station’s front door—though navigating the area means dodging weekend brunch lines and pre-theater crowds. The MTA doesn’t list a phone line for routine updates, but riders can dial to check service changes or flag a problem. Directions and real-time maps are available at the W 86 St/Columbus Av listing, which points to the stairwells at the Columbus Avenue median. https://www.google.com.maps/place?ftid=0x89c25884c38313bb:0xc654d3edf9b8af68