Getting around the city is likely to
take some getting used to; public
transit here is on the whole quite
good, extremely cheap, and covers
most conceivable corners of the
city, whether by bus or subway.
Don't be afraid to ask someone for
help if you're confused. You'll no
doubt find the need for a taxi from
time to time, especially if you feel
uncomfortable in an area at night;
you shouldn't ever have trouble
tracking one down - the ubiquitous
yellow cabs are always on the prowl
for passengers.
The subway
The New York
subway is
intimidating and initially
incomprehensible. It's also the
fastest and most efficient way to
get from A to B in Manhattan and
the outer boroughs, and it is
safer and more user-friendly than
it once was. Put aside your
qualms: Six million people ride
the subway every day, quite a few
for the first time.
Any subway journey costs $1.50
, payable by token
purchased at any booth, but if you
are going to be take more than a
couple of rides, it's more
efficient to purchase a MetroCard
. This allows you to transfer (for
free) from subway to bus, bus to
subway or bus to bus within a
period of two hours. It's
available, from token booths and
vending machines, in several
forms: cards can be bought for $3
to $80; $15 purchases allow eleven
rides for the cost of ten, and $30
purchases allow 22 rides for the
cost of twenty. Unlimited-ride
cards allow unlimited travel for a
certain period of time: a
seven-day pass for $17, a
thirty-day pass for $63 and a
daily "Fun Pass" for $4.
Buses
The
bus system is simpler
than the subway, and you can see
where you're going and hop off at
anything interesting. It also
features many more crosstown
routes. The major disadvantage is
that they can be extremely slow -
in peak hours almost down to
walking pace, and extremely full
to boot. In response to cries of
overcrowding along several routes,
the MTA recently introduced
"accordion buses" - two
buses attached with a flexible
rubber accordion, which helps the
big vehicle turn corners. However,
because these run slightly less
frequently than the ones they
replaced, they still get crowded.
Bus maps, like subway maps, can
be obtained at the main concourse
of Grand Central or the Convention
and Visitors Bureau at 53rd Strett
and Seventh Avenue.
Anywhere in Manhattan the fare
is $1.50 , payable on entry
with either a subway token, a MetroCard
(the most convenient way) or with
the correct change - no bills.
Taxis
Taxis are always worth
considering, especially if you're
in a hurry or in a group or late
at night. Always use medallion
cabs, immediately recognizable by
their yellow paintwork and
medallion up top; gypsy cabs,
unlicensed, uninsured operators
who tout for business wherever
tourists arrive, should be
avoided.
Up to four people can travel in
an ordinary medallion cab. Fares
are $2 for the first fifth of a
mile and 30ข for each fifth of a
mile thereafter or for each ninety
seconds in stopped or slow
traffic. The basic charge rises by
50ข from 8pm to 6am. Trips
outside Manhattan can incur toll
fees; not all of the crossings
cost money, however, and the
driver should ask you which route
you wish to take.
The tip should be fifteen to
twenty percent of the fare; you'll
get a dirty look if you offer
less. Drivers don't like splitting
anything bigger than a $10 bill,
and are in their rights to refuse
a bill over $20.
Walking
Few cities equal New York for
street-level stimulation. Getting
around on foot is often the
most exciting - and tiring -
method of exploring. Figure
fifteen minutes to walk ten
north-south blocks - rather more
at rush hour. However you plan
your wanderings you're still going
to spend much of your time
walking. Footwear is important
(sneakers are good for
spring/summer; winter needs
something waterproof). So is
safety: a lot more people are
injured in New York carelessly
crossing the street than are
mugged. Pedestrian crossings don't
give you automatic right of way
unless the WALK sign is on - and,
even then, cars may be turning, so
be prudent.
