Getting around NYC by subway, bus or ferry is the most affordable and efficient way to see everything on your bucket list, from the Statue of Liberty to the Bronx Zoo, Central Park to Coney Island.
Plus there are taxis, car services, bike-sharing and even a tram to get you around.
NYC has the largest public transportation system in the USA, and the only one to operate 24/7
Getting Around NYC by Subway and Bus
The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) serves all five boroughs.
Full fare currently is $2.75, with discounts for unlimited rides with weekly and monthly passes, and special reduced fares for seniors, students and the physically challenged.
Each fare entitles you to unlimited transfers between subway lines plus one transfer to a bus (or the other way around), or one transfer from bus to bus.
Transfers include the Roosevelt Island tram over the East River, between Manhattan’s Upper East Side and Roosevelt Island.
A MetroCard is required to ride. There is no cash payment on MTA buses or at subway turnstiles.
There are thousands of kiosks at bus stops and subway entrances where you can purchase or refill a MetroCard with a credit card or debit card. Only live tellers at MTA booths in subway stations accept cash to purchase a MetroCard.
NYC also has introduced the OMNY “tap and go” system for using your smartphone to pay for a fare.
OMNY charges only the $2.75 full fare.
OMNY “tap and go” does not currently apply any discount fares, and may not even register a legal FREE transfer.
If you have a discount weekly or monthly MetroCard, or a senior citizen, student or physically challenged discount MetroCard, you are wasting money if you use OMNY “tap and go”.
Subways are anywhere from 4-12 minutes apart, depending on the specific line, time of day and day of week. Buses can be as much as 20 minutes apart, depending also on traffic, so plan accordingly.
Many MTA buses are now eco-friendly hybrid-electric models, and the newest ones have USB ports at seats.
Nearly all NYC subway stations and many bus stops now have digital arrival boards, to tell you how many minutes to the next train.
See Also
Where to Find Cheapest Gas Prices in NYC
NYC Free Parking Calendar
Best Local NYC Car Services
Getting Around NYC by Ferry
The Staten Island Ferry is FREE, part of the MTA system. It is used by commuters ferrying between lower Manhattan an Staten Island, and by visitors seeking picture postcard views of the most famous woman in the world.
Note that the Staten Island Ferry does NOT stop at the Statue of Liberty or Ellis Island.
The only way to visit the Statue of Liberty or Ellis Island is to buy a ticket on Statue Cruises, the only company licensed by the National Park Service to dock at Liberty Island and Ellis Island.
NYC Ferry provides service between Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island for the same price as a NYC subway or bus fare - $2.75.
Getting Around NYC by Bicycle
NYC has dozens of miles of bike lanes, which have been expanded during the Pandemic.
Rent a CitiBike by the hour, and pick up and drop off at hundreds of locations. There also are unlimited use weekly and monthly passes.
Getting Around NYC by Taxi
New York City is famous for its Yellow taxis, which can be flagged down and hired anywhere. Just stand on a street corner and wave, and one will stop.
If the illuminated sign on the roof is lit, it means the taxi is available. If it’s not lit, it means the taxi is occupied, so don’t waste your energy waving at it.
There also is a network of Green taxis, officially known as Boro Taxis, which operate primarily above 96th St. in Manhattan and in NYC’s other four boroughs.
Both Yellow and Green taxis are licensed by the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission.
Getting Around NYC by a Car Service
NYC has had a broad base of locally-owned car services for decades, since long before the invaders from Silicon Valley and Wall Street.
We always recommend using the locally-owned, locally-based car services, whose rates are often cheaper than the Silicon Valley companies.
Order one on the phone, and speak with a real live dispatcher who knows NYC traffic patterns better than an altorithm. Or order online via an app similar to the invaders from Silicon Valley, and pay by cash or credit card.
New York City is an exciting place to explore, both for those of of us who live in the greatest city on the planet and those who just visit.
Try some of these NYC transit options in my hometown to help make your NYC adventure a great one.
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