Getting stuck at Court Square is basically a rite of passage for anyone living in Brooklyn or Queens. You’re standing on that green-painted platform, looking at the countdown clock, and realizing the G train Court Square connection is about to test your patience in ways you didn't prepare for this morning. It's the only line in the entire New York City Subway system that doesn't touch Manhattan, which gives it this weird, cult-favorite status among locals who rely on it to get between neighborhoods like Greenpoint and Long Island City.
The G is the "Brooklyn-Queens Crosstown" line. It's shorter than most trains. Honestly, if you aren't standing in the middle of the platform, you're going to be sprinting when those four or five cars finally pull in.
The Long Walk to the 7, E, and M
Let’s talk about that transfer. If you’ve ever tried to move from the G train to the 7 or the E/M at Court Square, you know it’s not just a walk. It’s a hike. You’re traversing a series of moving walkways—well, they're supposed to be moving—and long underground tunnels that feel like they belong in an airport, not a subway station.
The Court Square–23rd Street complex is a massive maze. It links the IND Crosstown Line (the G), the IRT Flushing Line (the 7), and the IND Queens Boulevard Line (the E and M). Back in the day, these were all different companies. That’s why the layout feels so disjointed. They weren't built to work together; they were forced together later.
There’s this specific tension when you’re on the G train Court Square platform and you hear the rumble of a 7 train overhead. You know you’re at least three minutes of power-walking away from catching it. Most people end up speed-walking past the commuters who are just drifting along the moving sidewalk. It’s a high-stakes game.
Dealing with the "G Train Sprint"
Because the G is shorter than the platform, the MTA has these "Train Stops Here" signs. Look for them. Seriously. If you’re standing at the far end of the Court Square station, you’ll be left in the dust.
The G usually runs with five cars, though they occasionally bump it up during major construction projects like the L train tunnel work a few years back. When it’s short, everyone huddles in one spot. It creates this frantic, dense crowd that exists nowhere else in the borough. You’ve got people with bikes, strollers, and delivery bags all trying to squeeze into a space half the size of a regular lettered train.
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Reliability and the 2024-2025 Shutdowns
Let's be real: the G train has a reputation. For years, it was the "ghost train." You’d wait twenty minutes at Court Square for a train that the app said was two minutes away.
Things shifted recently because of the massive signal modernization project. The MTA has been installing Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC). It’s fancy tech that lets trains run closer together. But to get that, we had to suffer through those brutal 24/7 shutdowns in the summer of 2024. Remember the shuttle buses? The B98? It was a mess.
Expert transit advocates like those at the Riders Alliance have pointed out that while the G train Court Square improvements are great for the long term, the short-term pain for Queens commuters was massive. We’re talking about a line that serves over 150,000 people a day. When it’s down, Long Island City feels a lot further away from North Brooklyn.
What Makes Court Square Different?
Most major hubs in the city feel like hubs. Times Square is a circus. Union Square is a mall. Court Square is a transition.
It’s where the industrial past of LIC meets the shiny glass towers of the present. You see people in construction vests from the nearby rail yards rubbing shoulders with tech workers headed to the JACX building. It’s a weirdly democratic space.
- The G train terminates here during some service patterns.
- The transfer to the E and M is usually faster than the hike to the 7.
- Elevator access is... okay, but not great if you’re in a hurry.
If you’re coming from the G, you have to go up, across, and then down again. It’s a workout. Honestly, if you’re trying to get to Manhattan, sometimes it’s worth checking if taking the G down to Metropolitan Ave to catch the L is actually faster, depending on where the E/M is at.
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Survival Tips for the Court Square Connection
Don't just follow the crowd blindly. Everyone at Court Square is stressed.
First, use the MYmta app or something like Transit or Citymapper. The countdown clocks on the G train Court Square platform are finally getting more accurate, but they still have their moments of "calculated" arrival vs. actual arrival.
Second, if you're transferring from the 7 to the G, get off at the rear of the Manhattan-bound 7 train. It puts you closer to the stairs. If you’re at the front, you’re adding an extra two minutes of walking through a crowded mezzanine.
Third, acknowledge the "Crosstown" nature. The G is one of the few places you’ll see New Yorkers actually helping each other with directions because the signage at Court Square is notoriously confusing. One wrong turn and you're exiting the station through a turnstile you didn't mean to use, and there goes your free transfer.
The Skyline View
One of the few perks of the Court Square mess is when you finally exit or transfer to the 7. You get that brief, stunning view of the Manhattan skyline. You see the One Court Square building—that big green-glass tower that used to be the Citicorp building. It’s a landmark. It tells you exactly where you are in the world.
The G train might be under-loved by the city government, but it's the literal backbone of the creative class in Brooklyn and Queens. Without that G train Court Square link, the connection between the artsy vibe of Greenpoint and the gallery scene in LIC would vanish.
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Mapping Your Next Move
If you find yourself stuck at Court Square during a delay—which happens more than we'd like—don't just stand on the platform.
Exit the station and grab a coffee at one of the spots on Jackson Ave. There’s a decent amount of food right there. Sometimes it’s better to wait out a 15-minute gap in service with a bagel in your hand rather than breathing in that stagnant tunnel air.
Next Steps for G Train Riders:
Check the MTA's Weekender site every Friday. Seriously. The G is the king of "Service Changes." One weekend it’s ending at Bedford-Nostrand, the next it’s not running at all.
Download a physical map or a high-res PDF on your phone. Cell service in the deep tunnels of the Court Square E/M transfer is spotty at best.
If you're moving to the area, look at the walking distance to the 7 and the G. Being reliant solely on the G train Court Square connection is a bold lifestyle choice that requires a very specific kind of mental fortitude. Be ready to walk, be ready to sprint, and always, always check the car markers so you aren't chasing the train down the platform like a madman.