No
matter where you come from, you'll be in awe of the City's size.
In terms of square miles, Manhattan is not large at all.
But it's concentration outdoes any city in the world!
Here are some street smart tips on getting around The Big Apple
that'll leave you with the confidence and ability to traverse the big city for yourself.
Airports:
New York City is served by 3 outlying airports:
LaGuardia, small but closest to the city, JFK, the city's large international airport, and
Newark, cleaner and quieter than its New York cousins but located in New Jersey, further
from the city.
On your way to New York, you must arrange for
transportation. Since most people don't rent cars here, you'll need to take a yellow cab,
use the coach buses or call a car service. Transportation info is at the exits near the
baggage claim. See NYC Airport Info for details.
And since were on the subject of
taxis, let's learn about one of the city's largest ethnic groups - The Yellow Cab.
Taxicabs:
Taxis are the most convenient and most assuredly
expensive means of public transportation in New York City. We've got nearly 12,000 of them
roaming the streets for fares. If you want one...it's easy! Just look for the light on the
roof, raise your arm, yell, "Taxi!" and it's yours.
Taxis are only allowed to carry 4
passengers maximum. 3 in back and 1 up front. A small child can sit on
the lap of a grown-up if need be, but plan on breaking up the group into
2 taxis otherwise.
Now that you're in the taxi, just tell the cabby
where you want to go. It's a good idea to find out beforehand what cross street an avenue
address is on. Unlike London, our cabbies don't always know. For example, the Guggenheim
Museum's address is 1071 Fifth Avenue. That's between 88th and 89th Streets. See the
Manhattan Address Locator.
Your fare will be determined by the meter up front.
Currently, fares begin at $2 and increase 30¢ every 1/5 mile. A 50¢ nighttime surcharge
applies between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. A 10 to 20% tip is customary.
Going
Out:
You're going to find walking to be one of the
fastest and easiest ways to get around. If you're going out sightseeing, wear comfortable
shoes or sneakers. This is not a time to be fashionable.
Plan where you want to go beforehand. Find out where
places are and group them by location. You'll spend less time traveling and more time
exploring.
To calculate a distance from place to place, keep in
mind that 20 avenue (north-south) or 10 street blocks (east-west) are equal to 1 mile. This rule does not apply,
however, to parts of Greenwich and all of lower Manhattan. The random layout of streets in
these areas confuse many New Yorkers as well!
Sure, I said
you’d be doing a lot of walking, but you could waste all day just walking! Let’s
take a look at some simple tips on using the subways and buses:
Buses And the bus can be the perfect solution
for getting crosstown.
Buses accept tokens, exact change or Metrocard - no
bills.
Metrocard offers a 1-day Fun Pass
for $4 and a 7-day unlimited ride for $17. Can
only be used by 1 person at a time.
Ask for a free transfer to continue your travel on a
connecting bus line from uptown/ downtown to crosstown and vice versa.
In order to use the free transfer onto the subway,
you must use the Metrocard.
Make sure you see the number of the bus. Several
lines can run on the same street.
Watch out for "Limited" lines - these are
like express trains.
Subways If there was ever a way of beating midtown
traffic, it's on the subway.
Purchase
a Metrocard or tokens at the booth in the
subway station. Buy enough for a few round trips.
In order to use the free transfer onto the bus, you
must use the Metrocard.
Metrocard offers a 1-day Fun Pass
for $4 and a 7-day unlimited ride for $17. Can
only be used by 1 person at a time.
Plan your route beforehand.
Stand away from the edge and in the middle of the
platform.
Make sure you are on the correct direction side.
Don’t get on an express line unless you know
where it will stop!
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