Division B (IND) Structure Underground Borough Manhattan Locale Washington Heights | Line IND Eighth Avenue Line Platforms 2 side platforms Opened 10 September 1932 | |
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Services A (late nights)
C (all except late nights) Transit connections NYCT Bus: M3, M100, M101 Address New York, NY 10032, United States Similar 155th Street, 181st Street, 135th Street, 103rd Street, Cathedral Parkway–110th Street | ||
163rd Street–Amsterdam Avenue is a local station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway, located in Washington Heights, Manhattan at the intersection of Amsterdam and Saint Nicholas Avenues. It is served by the C train at all times except nights, when the A train takes over service.
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Station layout
This underground station, opened on September 10, 1932, has two local tracks and two side platforms. Two express tracks, used by the A train during daytime hours, run below the station and are not visible from the platforms. To the north, the upper level local tracks become the center tracks of 168th Street, allowing C trains to terminate there, while the lower level express tracks become the outer tracks, continuing towards 207th Street.
Both platforms have name tablets reading "163RD STREET - AMSTERDAM AV" in white sans serif font on two lines. The background is yellow with a black border. Small black "163" and directional signs in white lettering run at regular intervals, but there is no trim line on either platform. Yellow i-beam columns run along both platforms with all of them having the standard black station name plate with white lettering.
Under the 2015–2019 MTA Capital Plan, the station, along with thirty other New York City Subway stations, will undergo a complete overhaul and would be entirely closed for up to 6 months. Updates would include cellular service, Wi-Fi, charging stations, improved signage, and improved station lighting.
Exits
This station has a full length mezzanine supported by yellow i-beam columns above the platforms, but only the southern half is opened. The closed-off northern half has an exit-only turnstile leading to the fare control area at the center, three staircases from each platform, and sealed exits leading to 163rd Street. There are two closed stairs to the southwest corner of St. Nicholas Avenue and West 163rd Street, and another closed stair to the southeast corner.
The opened southern half of the mezzanine is split into three sections by two black steel fences. Free transfers between directions are not possible. The two outer portions have two staircases from their respective platforms and a turnstile bank leading to the center of the mezzanine. Outside fare control, there is a token booth and the extreme south end has two staircases going up to the streets, one to the northwest corner of 161st Street and Amsterdam Avenue and the other to the western corner of Amsterdam and Saint Nicholas Avenue across from 162nd Street. The latter staircase is built inside 1033 Saint Nicholas Avenue, which is currently a Rite Aid pharmacy.