Subway, New York City

The connections around the city are best taken by using the subway. They are covering most places you need to get to. Most of the time, they are on time, even though....WE were dropped in Brooklyn once and left to find out how to get back to Manhatten because the train driver left-like walked out-when the subway broke down. 45 minutes later we found a bus to get us over to the other side.

We purchased a metro card from the vending machines at the station which acts as a prepay travel card that you can just top up when it gets low. If you top up with over $10 some extra $ is added onto your card as a bonus. You can also purchase a fun day pass giving unlimited rides for the whole day for $7.50 as well as a 7 day, 14 day & 30 day unlimited ride card.

Swipe your metrocard through the turnstyles make sure the name is facing you and when it says go pass through the gates as easy as that.

To find out how much money you have left on your metrocard account simply feed it into any ticket vending machine & decide to top up or not. A single ride irrespective of how many line changes you make will cost you $2 there are no zone restrictions either.

We decided to use the metrocard as it is accepted on the Path trains (to New Jersey) as well which costs $1.75 per journey. The 7 day unlimited ticket at $25 cannot be used on the PATH train.

Coming from London I found the subway relatively easy to use although be sure to check that that subway goes to the junction of the streets you want to be at (ie the D&F trains take you to 34th street & Ave of the Americas whilst the red line takes you down a block to 34th street & 7th avenue)

The subway map is a mengerie of colour and each subway route is coded with a letter. The disadvantage is there is no subway map inside the train like they have in the tube so it can be a bit confusing to know what subways connect although if you can understand the conductor its usually yelled out before each stop. Be sure to board either for destination uptown or downtown.

Be advised that the subway does run a bit different on the weekends. But unlike London the subways run pretty much all night a real bonus for the city that never sleeps (20min intervals after 12pm).

The actual subway train is air conditioned but the platforms are hot & humid & I spotted the largest rat I've seen for a long time but it scuttled away before its golden photo opportunity.

We asked a subway staff member which train to get and we thought he was very abrupt and rude.

Thankfully another member of staff we chatted to later on was friendly and helpful. I think we are used to the (far more helpful!) London Underground staff.

We jumped onto the subway after deciphering which one to get from the spiderweb travel map on the wall. We found the subway map far more confusing than London’s Underground or Paris’ Metro.. even though in English!

We didn’t like the train and felt a little uncomfortable on it. I would not be a regular user of the subway if I lived in New York. To be honest, our initial experience of NY was not particularly good.

The subway was stopped about ten minutes after we had got off it, and we were so glad we had JUST managed to get it! But, as things go, the lift wasn’t working, and my poor hubby had to carry our VERY heavy suitcases up a few flights of stairs to the entrance.

We stepped out of the subway into chaos. It was like being in a Twilight Zone.

Tens of thousands of people swarming to Times Square to watch the ball drop… and loads of policeman around, controlling the crowds by using barricades.

We finally managed to get to our hotel (being stopped by police all the time, asking where we going). Phew!

And nope, we did not venture into the subway again for the rest of our stay, as it was disappointing.

Yeah, there's nothing to worry about. Think i took the W but i could be wrong. Nobody bothered me on the trip over there and back and it really is a nice place to see, the boardwalk is pretty cool and there's some good food to be had there

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The cheaper and convenient means of transportation around NYC.
Some new, some heavily vandalized, but my suggestion is, if you're travelling alone and later than 10pm, take bus or cab.
If must take subway at such late hours, stay with the crowd, there's safety in number.
1 trip will cost you USD 2, flat rate, anywhere.
1 day pass will cost you USD 7.50

I've been reading people's reviews, and have noticed that for the most part people's problems are caused by failing to read the signs properly.
Before you go into a station, check to make sure you can get on the proper direction.
Before you get on a train, make sure it will stop at where you are going.

Also, if you do find yourseslf on the wrong train, DON"T PANIC. All you have to do is get off at eth next stop, and get on a different train. If you don't know how, jsut ask for help. If you look lost, chances are somone will offer to help anyway.

Heres how to figure out how to get where you want to go.
Steps:
1. Find the nearest subwaystation.
2. Enter
3. Find a map, one of the big ones. There will be one before you swipe your metrocard, and also inside in larger stations.
4. Find the station that you want to end up at. (Ask somone before you enter the station if possible)
5. Find where you are.
6. The map will list the trains that stop at each station.
7. If there is a train that stops at both where you are and where you are going, problem solved.
8. If not, follow the train stopping at your station(where you are),follow the appropriate colored line in teh direction you are going.
9. Follow it until it overlaps with a train stopping at the station you are going to.
10. Take the train to the overlapping station, then get on the new train, IN THE PROPER DIRECTION.
11. Get off at your stop!
IF THIS IS TOO COMPLICATED:
Just take the train to a big stop like Penn Station, Grand Central, or Times Square. From there, you can get on any train that will get you where you are going.