The East Village runs south to north from Houston Street to East 14th Street (Houston Street ---> 1st Street ---> 2nd Street ---> etc.), and west to east from 3rd Avenue to the East River (3rd Avenue ---> 2nd Avenue ---> 1st Avenue ---> Avenue A ---> Avenue B ---> Avenue C ---> Avenue D ---> East River).
You can take the
6 train (of the
4-5-6, the dark green line) to Astor Place. Astor Place sits on the west side of St. Mark's Place. Astor Place is at 8th Street and 4th Avenue, while St. Mark's Place is 8th Street from 3rd to 1st Avenue. St. Marks Place is the heart of the East Village.
Or, you can take the
F train (of the
B-D-F-M, the orange line) to 2nd Avenue and Houston Street.
1) Take the
Uptown 1-2-3 or the
Uptown A-C-E one stop to 42nd Street (Times Square). Since all six of these trains (the
A, the
C and the
E, and the
1, the
2 and the
3) stop at 42nd Street, it doesn't matter which one you take.
If you look at a subway map, you will see that it appears as though the
A-C-E does not stop at the Times Square Station. The
A-C-E runs up and down 8th Avenue, while the Times Square Station, and the
1-2-3 line, are at 7th Avenue. However, the
A-C-E line is connected to the Times Square Station by an underground tunnel, so you can transfer without exiting the subway system.
2) At the Times Square Station, transfer to the
S shuttle train (color code grey) east across 42nd Street, from Times Square (West 42nd) to Grand Central Station (East 42nd).
3) At Grand Central, transfer to the
Downtown 6 train to Astor Place.
4) When you exit the subway, walk east across Astor Place (past the big bronze cube) to St. Mark's Place (8th Street and 3rd Avenue). You'll see a bar called the Continental on the north corner of 8th Street and 3rd, and a pizza place on the south corner with a record shop next to it.
1) Take the
Downtown A-C-E (the blue line) to West 4th Street.
2) At West 4th Street, transfer to the
Downtown F train to 2nd Avenue.
3) You'll get off at 2nd Avenue and Houston Street, down the block from the Mars Bar on 2nd Avenue and 1st Street.
See the Related Link below for a complete New York City subway map.