New York Transport

New York boasts an excellent public transport system and the city centre is divided into a structured network of streets, avenues and blocks. The most extensive services are offered by the citys buses, but subway travel is also convenient. Ferries depart for Staten Island and other main city points and the yellow taxis are a typical New York transport option. It is also easy and popular to get around on foot.

By Metro

Subways provide a quick, safe and economical way to travel around the city. Trains operate 24 hours a day, with waiting times between trains usually only a few minutes, depending on the time of day. The 714-mile subway system serves 468 stations on 24 routes, the most extensive in the world. It operates 24 hours a day and is used by more than 3.5 million people daily. Subways pass through Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx. A flat fare applies for single trips within the system, good for two hours, including buses. Travel passes are available for 1, 7 and 30 days. Phone: +1 718 330 1234; website: http://www.mta.info/.

By train

New York City has two main railway stations, Grand Central Terminal, on the East Side in midtown and Penn Station, on the West Side, just below midtown. Metro-North Commuter Railroad departs from Grand Central and serves suburbs in New York, Connecticut and New Jersey. Long Island Railroad (LIRR) is a commuter railroad serving Long Island and departs from Penn Station. Staten Island is served by the Staten Island Railway, with links to the Staten Island Ferry from the St George station. The SIR trains run 24/7 and the fare is the same as for the bus or subway.

By bus

There are 3,700 buses operating throughout New Yorks 5 boroughs on more than 200 routes. A bus stop is usually within a few blocks walk. There is a flat fee per ride, regardless of the distance. Fares can be paid with a MetroCard, a token or exact change in coins. The driver does not give change and fare boxes do not accept dollar bills or pennies. Multi ride MetroCards are available for 1, 7 and 30 days. If you pay your fare with MetroCard, you may transfer free from bus to subway, subway to bus, or bus to bus within two hours of the time you paid your fare. Phone: +1 718 330 1234; website: http://www.mta.info/busco/index.html.

By ferry

New York has an extensive ferry system taking passengers uptown and downtown, and across the rivers to Staten Island, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and New Jersey. The Staten Island Ferry is primarily a commuter route between Staten Island and lower Manhattan. The 5.2-mile, 20-minute cruise offers great views of the Statue of Liberty, New York Harbour and lower Manhattan and is free. NY Waterway runs commuter ferries between points in Manhattan and New Jersey and boat transportation to Yankee and Shea Stadiums as well as harbour and sightseeing cruises. New York Water Taxi provides a comfortable shuttle service from downtown Manhattan to Brooklyn. Hop-on and hop-off scheduled sailings stop at Chelsea Piers on West 23rd Street and the Circle Line at West 42nd Street.

Taxis

New Yorks famous yellow cabs are easy to hail, just look for the lit sign on the top that indicates if the taxi is available for hire. New York taxi drivers are notorious for knowing very little about the city layout and many do not speak English very well, so be ready for an exciting trip. New York is unique considering that you cant pre-arrange a pickup by a New York taxi. If you want to call for a ride (rather than hail a cab) you will need to contact a car or livery service.

Tourist services

The largest tour operator in New York City, Gray Line New York Tours offer hop-on, hop-off double-decker sightseeing tours around Manhattan. Passengers can see uptown, downtown, Broadway, the Statue of Liberty and many other attractions on Gray Line buses. On Sunday mornings, some tour operators offer a Harlem Spiritual Tour that includes a visit to a church with a choir singing authentic, Afro-American gospels. Phone: +1 212 445 0848; website: www.coachusa.com/newyorksightseeing/.

From the airport

JFK Airport has regular bus services connecting the airports terminal buildings to central New York, including Grand Central Terminal, the Port Authority Bus Terminal and Penn Station. A light rail system connects each terminal with the regions rail transit network. LaGuardia International Airport is served by many regular public buses connecting it to central New York. The Delta Water Shuttle offers a fast and scenic way to travel into Manhattan. Regular shuttle buses connect the airport to the Marine Air Terminal and the crossing takes around 25 minutes. Newark Airport has recently connected their internal monorail to a new station servicing both Amtrak and New Jersey Transit lines. Olympia Airport Express and the SuperShuttle Manhattan provide direct services to downtown Manhattan. Olympia Airport Express and AirPorter have direct links to Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island.