Talk:New York (city)/Get Around

Copied from current page. I'm going to rewrite to try and make some sense of the following. -- (WT-en) Chris j wood 13:38, 26 Jul 2004 (EDT)

Get Around

Understanding New York is understanding how to get around. NYC has the greatest transit system in the world running 24 hours a day - But not every line runs 24 hours or on weekends.

There are a variety of options for purchasing rides on NYC mass transit. A Metrocard can be purchased from either the machine or manned booth at each Subway station using cash, ATM or credit cards. Various discount packages include Daily, Weekly and Monthly passes as well as fixed dollar amounts. See the MTA Fare link below. The Staten Island Ferry is free. Single ride metrocards have free transfers, including between subways and buses. MTA Commuter lines now have a weekend pass deal for less frequent service for the few stops inside the city.

Subway Map

NYC Subway, Bus and Nassau County Long Island Bus

AND Some other NYC private bus companies - All use metrocard and and all have free transfers - but check for conditions.

SUBWAY ROUTES CHANGE Feb, 22 2004 CHECK A CURRENT MAP The completed repair of the lower East River Bridges between Brooklyn and Manhattan has changed service all around the system. Make sure your information is current. See MTA MAPS Below

Commuter railroads and buses

Suburbs and some other places New York, New Jersey and Connecticut plus a few places in Pennsylvania. Many different systems, including MTA rail commuter branches. Will cover New Jersey, Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk), New York counties of Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess and Connecticut. PATH gets you across the river to New Jersey in a small subway system. Commuter. Major terminals are Grand Central, Penn Station, and the Port Authority Bus Terminal plus the World Trade Center stop for the PATH system southern river crossing to New Jersey. All are on the Subway.

Bus+Subway to other systems terminals

MTA Subway and bus service and maps

MTA MAPS

Long Island Rail Road - Nassau and Suffolk County, Commuter service to NYC.
Long Island Bus - Nassau County and connecting service to Queens only.
Metro North - Northern commuters all over the place -see map at MTA Web site

MTA Main Page MTA fares

Airports, Path subway system, some ferries, JFK Airtrain, Port Authority Bus Terminal Port Authority info

Taxi

Real NYC taxis are yellow, have a metal seal on the hood ("medallion"), a light with a taxi number on the roof, a meter for billing, stickers on the windshield for various licenses, special taxi license plates, and a divider in the car. Start off rate is $2.30 now (2004).

At the airport or any of the bus or train terminals, use the dispatcher line, and don't get into anything else. Airport trips are flat fare and expensive compared to taking mass transit-which is terrible from the airports, even with the airtrain at JFK. Info on fares, flat fares, group rides and rules at: http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/passenger/taxicab_rate.shtml

Any other type of car ("Livery or Black Car") may only be called by phone, for a trip and are flat rate - no meter! Ask for the fare ahead of time. They are not allowed to cruise the street or airports for fares.

For all cabs, you pay the tolls for bridges and highways, even if the cab has an EZ-PASS to use the express toll lane. Outside the city, other than flat fare destinations, meter rates are doubled.

Remember to tip. NYC custom is 15 to 20%-- Don't be a cheapskate.