New York City: Getting there & around

Orientation

Most of Manhattan is extremely easy to navigate, thanks to a grid system of named or numbered avenues running the north-south length of the island, cut across by numbered streets that run from east to west. Above Washington Square, Fifth Ave and Central Park serve as the dividing line between the East Side and the West Side. Cross-street numbers begin at Fifth Ave and grow higher toward each river, generally (but not exclusively) in 100-digit increments per block. Broadway, the only avenue to cut diagonally across the island, was originally a woodland path; it runs in some form from the southern tip of the island all the way to the state capital of Albany, 240km (150mi) away.

Craning your neck amongst the skyscrapers of Manhattan, it's easy to forget that islands make up most of New York City's land mass. Manhattan and Staten Island stand alone; Queens and Brooklyn comprise the western end of Long Island. Only the Bronx is connected to the continental mainland. The water gap between Brooklyn and Staten Island - the 'narrows' through which the first Europeans entered the area - serves as the entrance to New York Harbor, which is also accessible to ships from the north via Long Island Sound. Manhattan is bordered on the west by the Hudson River and on the east by the East River, both technically estuaries subject to tidal fluctuations.

Getting There

• bus

  All suburban and long-haul buses leave and depart from the Port Authority Bus Terminal at 41st St and Eighth Ave in Midtown Manhattan. Bus lines available there include Greyhound, which links New York with major cities across the country; Peter Pan Trailways, which runs buses to the nearest major cities; Short Line, offering numerous departures to towns in northern New Jersey and upstate New York; and New Jersey Transit buses, with direct service to Atlantic City and the entire Garden State.

• car

  It's a nightmare to have a car in Manhattan, but getting there is easy. Approaches from the east include the Connecticut Turnpike (I-95); the Long Island Expressway, which enters Manhattan through the Queens Midtown Tunnel (often choked by traffic); and the Grand Central Parkway (right off the Triborough Bridge), which cuts through Queens on its way from Long Island. From New Jersey, I-95 crosses the George Washington Bridge; I-95 also continues south as the New Jersey Turnpike, entering Manhattan via the Lincoln Tunnel (at Midtown) and the Holland Tunnel (near Soho). Via I-95, it's 315km (195 mi) south from Boston, 170km (105 mi) north from Philadelphia, and 380km (235 mi) north from Washington, DC.

• train

  Pennsylvania Station, on 33rd St between Seventh and Eighth Aves, is the departure point for all Amtrak trains, including the Acela Express, Amtrak's new fast train, and the Metroliner. The station is a little cramped and dreary, but plans to replace it nearly on the same site are in the works. Both trains run services to Washington via Princeton and Philadelphia and the Acela's route also extends north to New Haven and Boston. The Long Island Rail Road serves several hundred thousand commuters each day from a newly renovated platform area to points in Brooklyn, Queens and the suburbs of Long Island, including the resort areas. New Jersey Transit operates trains from Penn Station to the suburbs and the Jersey Shore. One commuter company departs from Grand Central Terminal, at Park Ave and 42nd St: the Metro North Railroad, which serves the northern suburbs and Connecticut.

• plane

  John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK), 24km (15 mi) from Midtown Manhattan in southeastern Queens, is where most international flights land. La Guardia Airport in northern Queens is 13km (8 mi) from Manhattan and services mostly domestic flights. If you're arriving or departing in the middle of the day, La Guardia is a more convenient choice than JFK. Newark Airport is in New Jersey, directly 16km (10 mi) west of Manhattan. Flights to and from Newark airport are sometimes a bit cheaper because of the erroneous perception that the airport is less accessible than JFK or La Guardia. In fact, Newark has a large and spanking-new international arrivals terminal, and its four terminals are linked by a monorail system.

  Buses run every 30 minutes between the city and JFK International Airport; the trip takes at least an hour. You can also take a subway to the Howard Beach-JFK station then transfer. You can also take a subway to the Howard Beach-JFK station then transfer to the Air Train, a monorail-like train that stops at all the terminals. Transfer at either the Howard Beach stop on the A train or the Sutphin Blvd stop on the E train ( US$5.00 one way). Buses run every 15-20 minutes between the city and La Guardia; a water shuttle also runs along the East River, or you can catch the subway. Take the N or W train to Astoria Blvd, then it's only a ten to fifteen minute ride on the M60 bus to La Guardia. To get from Newark Airport, you can get a private or public bus from the city. Buses into the city run every fifteen minutes. Taxis from all three airports into the city are expensive.

Back to top ^

Getting Around

• bus

  City buses run 24 hours a day. Bus maps are available at subway and train stations, and well-marked bus stops have 'Guide-a-Ride' maps showing the stops and nearby landmarks. Between 22:00 and 05:00 you can ask to be let off anywhere along your route, even if it's not a designated stop.

• car

  New York car rentals are notoriously expensive and petrol in the city costs far more than elsewhere in the US. If you really must rent a car, you'll need a license and a major credit card. The major agencies are in all three airports.

  The biggest hassle of having a car in the city is finding parking; street parking rules are so complex that it's just easier to put in in a paid garage in the middle of the day; it is marginally easier to find parking at night.

• taxi

  New York taxi drivers must be the most maligned group of workers in the world. Sure, they'll try to make a few extra bucks; but let's face it, they're bound to have a better idea where they're going than you do. Tip around 10% to 15%. If you think you're being ripped off, either let the driver know or get a receipt and note the license number - the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission wields some serious clout, and cabbies are justifiably nervous of being reported to them. (Ph: 311.) If the taxi number on the top of the car is lit up then the taxi is available.

• ferry

  NY Waterway ferries make runs up the Hudson River Valley and from Midtown out to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. A popular commuter route goes from the New Jersey Transit train station in Hoboken to a Lower Manhattan pier at the World Financial Center. Departing from the South Ferry Terminal, the popular, free Staten Island ferry is worth catching just for the magnificent views of Lower Manhattan.

• underground rail

  Although it's noisy, confusing and sometimes hot as hell, the subway is really not that difficult and not as dangerous as rumoured. It's the fastest, most reliable way around town and most of Manhattan's sights are on its lines, although some lines seem to be undergoing constant construction work which can put a dent in the reliability a bit.

• Disabled Travellers

  Federal laws guarantee that all government offices and facilities are available to the disabled. Most restaurant listings also note whether the location is accessible by wheelchair. Though things are improving slowly but surely, New York is still hard to navigate: streets are congested, street corners with curb cuts are often overcrowded with pedestrians and the general hustle and bustle is a drawback to anyone not operating at a breakneck pace. What's worse, subways are either on elevated tracks or deep below the ground and there are few elevators to access them; buses, which all have wheelchair elevation systems and ride space, are definitely the way to go. All movie and Broadway theatres have areas reserved for wheelchairs, and sometimes the newer movie theatres even have those seats near the front, rather than stuck in the back.

Back to top ^