 | New York City MTA Busses Reviews | 1 - 9 of 9 |  |
 Chris on the bus by toonsarah
Buses stop about every two or three blocks, although those marked "Limited" make fewer stops (about every ten blocks) – ask the driver if you’re not sure. Stops are located at street corners and have a tall, round sign with a bus emblem and route number. Most stops display route maps and schedules.
Buses are covered by the Metrocard system (see my subway tip for more about this). Board at the front and drop your card (black stripe on the right and the MetroCard name facing you) into the slot by the driver – it will disappear briefly (a little disconcerting at first!) and pop up again. If you don’t have a card you can pay in cash (currently $2 per ride) but note that this has to be in coins – no dollar bills are accepted and no change given.
Announcements are made to indicate each stopping point, though we found many of these too muffled to understand, so you’ll want to keep your eyes open – but the grid pattern of the streets (in most districts) makes spotting your stop fairly easy. Press the tape that runs under the windows to request a stop, and exit by the middle door (though we saw many people ignoring this and using the front door, especially when the bus was crowded).
Do give the buses a try! It my take a little longer to get where you’re going, but you’ll see a lot of the city, and isn’t that what you’re here for?
|
 | |  |
Visiting New York City?
Read reviews about New York City Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
All five boroughs are covered by bus service. MTA New York City Transit has the authority to run buses across the city boundary, and a few routes leave city limits, albeit briefly. The Q5 and Q85 cross the Nassau County border to go the Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream. The Q2 leaves Queens as they run along Hempstead Turnpike and onto the Cross Island Parkway where they re-enter city-limits. The Q46 runs along Lakeville Road in Lake Success, Nassau County upon entering Long Island Jewish Medical Center. The Bx16 bus runs in to Westchester County, but only for a block for each branch. The Bx 7 & the Bx 10 Make a u-turn in Yonkers above the Bronx city line. Buses are labeled with a number and a prefix identifying the primary borough (B for Brooklyn, Bx for the Bronx, M for Manhattan, Q for Queens, and S for Staten Island). Express buses use the letter "x" rather than a borough label. Lettered suffixes can be used to designate branches or variants.
MTA Bus Company routes also follow this scheme, and MTA Long Island Bus uses "N" for Nassau County. "W" or "BL" and "S" are commonly used by the non-MTA Bee-Line Bus System (Westchester County) and Suffolk Transit (Suffolk County). Between 10:00 PM and 5:00 AM "Request-a-Stop" service is available. The Bus Operator may discharge passengers at a location along the route that is not a bus stop, as long as it is considered safe. If the location is not "safe", the bus operator will discharge passengers at the nearest safe location.
The MTA bus system is meant to complement the MTA's rail lines - the New York City Subway, Staten Island Rapid Transit, Long Island Rail Road, and Metro-North Railroad. The MTA also owns the MTA Bus Company, which operates routes in the Bronx, southwestern Westchester, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and western Nassau County and the Metropolitan Suburban Bus Authority (Long Island Bus), which operates in eastern Queens, Nassau County, and western Suffolk County.
|
| | |
 by shutterlust
CIty buses are blue and white and they stop every two or three blocks at stops marked by white and lbue signs. When the bus arrives, check the lighted sign in front to make sure it's your route. MetroCards are the easiest way to pay for a bus ride. Otherwise, you must have EXACT change - $2.00. Only quarters, dimes and nickels are accepted; no bills. (However, you may be lucky and someone on the bus might be able to break your bills for you). Free transfers are available if you need to change buses to reach your desintation, but you must ask for one when you pay your fare. No paper transfer is necessary when using a MetroCard.
Most buses "kneel," which means that the front right side of the bus comes down to street level to make ti easy to board. All buses are wheelchair accessible; use the entrance toward the back of the bus, where there is a lift. To request a stop, press the yellow strip between the windows, which will illuminate a "stop requested" sign at the front of the bus. Exit from either the front of rear doors (you have to push the rear doors open). There are about 30 express bus routes operated by the NYC transit. Many of them run between Manhattan and Staten Island during weekday rush hours only. Express bus riders may purchase the $20 MetroCard to obtain 11 rides for the price of 10. Call 718 330 1234 for express-bus schedule information. Leave a Comment Theme: Bus
|
| | |
 Feb 17, 2003 by cjg1Leave a Comment
|
Bus is another great transportation. Usually there is an extra lane just for the busses, so even if there is traffic, you will not be in it. Sometimes it does get congested, but during the summer, it’s much better than the train system. Ask the bus driver for directions because sometimes these buses make unexpected turns, but most of them just go a straight line, a third avenue buss will go straight up third Avenue and a Lexington bus will go straight down Lexington (with a slight turn onto third, but that’s only one block).
|
Visiting New York City?
Read reviews about New York City Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
If you are staying outside New York City, like in New Jersey, taking the bus is super. The express is just 30 minutes away, and the regular from 50-60 minutes. And the drivers are courteous. So are the regular passengers.
|
The best tip I got while planning this trip was instead of paying a $50 cab fare to get from the airport to the hotel, take a $2 bus ride on the M60. It takes about an hour and makes several stops downtown. In my case they dropped me 4 blocks from my hotel. Very nice and CHEAP! Leave a Comment
|
When it's hot - I mean REALLY hot - you may think nothing could surpass the heat on the streets of NYC. Well you'd be wrong. The temps in their subway stations will make the outside seem like the shores of the Caribbean at sunset with a cool breeze. You get the picture, right?
So, if you can, take a bus instead! There's no need to descend into the bowels of Hell, you can look out the window, and....you never know what kind of freaks you'll meet at the stop! Leave a Comment
|
 | 1 |  |
More New York City Tips Overview
| Hotels and Accommodations
Tips: 1,451 - Photos: 985 | Things To Do
Tips: 6,289 - Photos: 8,910 | Nightlife
Tips: 1,019 - Photos: 759 | Transportation
Tips: 1,208 - Photos: 889 | Restaurants
Tips: 3,061 - Photos: 2,389 | Shopping
Tips: 851 - Photos: 621 | Off the Beaten Path
Tips: 1,169 - Photos: 1,270 | Tourist Traps
Tips: 392 - Photos: 201 | Warnings or Dangers
Tips: 491 - Photos: 269 | Local Customs
Tips: 518 - Photos: 415 | Packing Lists
Tips: 222 - Photos: 98 | Sports Travel
Tips: 179 - Photos: 205 | General Tips
Tips: 1,725 - Photos: 1,539 | Flights
Tips: 81 - Photos: 0 |
 |
|
More New York City Car Rental Deals TAXI Service 718-392-9805
Low Airport And Out Of Town Rates. NY NJ CT.LGA JFK EWR ISP HPN TEB Van Rentals
One Stop for all Truck & Van Rental Special Daily & Weekly Low Rates. Dollar Rent A Car
Find Web Deals & Partner Specials. GPS Available. Low Rate Guarantee! Sponsored Links
- Best Western Hospitality House
145 East 49th Street, New York City, NY - The London NYC
151 West 54th Street, New York City, NY - The Premier
133 W 44th St, New York City, NY - Helmsley Middletowne Hotel
148 E. 48th St., New York City, NY - Milford Plaza Hotel
270 West 45th Street, New York City, NY - The Alex Hotel
205 East 45th Street, New York City, NY - Warwick New York
65 West 54th Street At Sixth Avenue, New York City, NY - Chelsea International Hostel
251 West 20th Street, New York City, NY - Habitat Hotel
130 East 57th Street, New York City, NY - Hilton New York
1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York City, NY - Wyndham Garden Hotel- Manhattan Chelsea West
37 West 24th Street, New York City, NY - The Lowell
28 East 63rd Street Between Madison and Park Avenues, New York City, NY - 6 Columbus New York
6 Columbus Circle, New York City, NY - Courtyard by Marriott NYC LaGuardia Airport
90-10 Grand Central Parkway, New York City, NY - Comfort Inn Chelsea
18 West 25th Street at 5th Avenue, New York City, NY
|
