| Subways | ||
| About Entrances Routes Costs Entry Travelling Safety Carriages Transfers Tips PATH Phone Web |
Don't be put off by what you may have heard, New York subways are the best and easiest way to get around the five boroughs of New York. The system extends over 1050 kilometres ( 656 miles ) and has 468 stations. Most routes and stations operate 24 hour a day but beware that not all subway entrances and exits do. Services are less frequent at nights and weekends. All trains are clean, air conditioned, well lit and modern.
There are globes outside of most subway entrances. If the globe is green it means that the entrance is staffed 24 hours a day. A red globe means that the entrance is closed or restricted in some way. Look at the signs above the subway entrance that will tell you about the restrictions. Most subway entrances are marked by a sign showing the name of the station, the number and letters of the routes that pass through it.
There are two types of trains, local and express. The local sill stop at all stations while the express stops at specific stations offering a much quicker service. Each route is denoted by colour and by a letter or number. The platform also denotes in which direction the train travels since the route can go either way up or down town. For instance the red number 1 and 9 trains run between 242 St and South Ferry with the number being the local and the number 9 being the express. The subway is also cheap - $1.50 a trip including transfers. You pay when you enter the subway station and there are no further payments until you exit and re-enter. Thus you can take the subway all the way from Kennedy Airport into Manhattan for $ 1.50. Once you are inside the station there will usually be subway information and a station booth. At the information centre you will find maps, service schedules and information about service changes.
To enter the subway turnstile you will either need to deposit a token in there or swipe a MetroCard through the reader. By far the best and simplest method is to use the MetroCard. They can be purchased from every station and many other stores in NYC. You initially buy a basic $ 15 card that entities you to 11 rides ( ie one for free ). Each time you enter the subway you merely swipe your card through the reader. A screen will show you how much credit you have left on the card as you proceed through to the station. MetroCards can be "recharged" at any station for amounts up to $80. You just hand over the card and the amount you wish to pay at the booth and you card will be charged with the amount you desire. Station clerks cannot accept bills larger than $20 and you are asked not to pay with pennies.
The MetroCard can also be used on may public and private buses in the city by swiping as you enter the bus. You can transfer free from the subway to the bus and bus to subway. All that is needed is to pay for your fare with MetroCard and use the card again with 2 hours to complete your trip. You don't get a free transfer if you pay with tokens. Once past the turnstile follow the signs displaying the subway route that you want to take. Above the platform, usually near the exist, there will signs that tell you which train stops here and in which direction they travel. In Manhattan, most subways run every 2 - 3 minutes during peak periods, every 5 - 10 minutes during the day and up 20 minutes between midnight and 5am. When travelling during non peak hours and especially at night the best place to wait is in the "Off-hour Waiting Area" which is denoted by a yellow sign, usually suspended from the roof of the subway. When you wait here you will in view of the station clerk, either directly or via video. It is as recommended that you ride in the same car as the conductor which is in the middle of the train. In case of emergency go to the station booth, they can assist with emergency medical assistance or the police. Alternatively there is usually a phone located on the platform so call 911. Inside the train carriage you will find the system map that tell you all about the route that you are currently travelling. Stops and information are announced as the train departs and arrives at stations. Don't think that you have to catch a single train point to point. The great thing about the subway system is that you can transfer to many other routes at most stations. Just work out where you want to go and to what train you need to transfer. When you arrive at your transfer point and exit the train look for a sign that has the route that you need, you will usually find them located near the exit signs. Follow the route signs to locate the platform that your require. Note that in some cases you may have to walk some distance to a transfer, but not usually. When you locate the platform check to see that the train is travelling the direction you want and go to that platform. Remember you can transfer as many times as you want for the one fare. - Don't worry if you get on the wrong train or end up on
the wrong platform ( some entrances may only lead to one direction ) you can just ride the
train to the next stop where a simple transfer is available. Port Authority Trains run from Manhattan to New Jersey across the Hudson River. They can be caught from a variety of locations in downtown Manhattan. For more information go to the PATH page. |
