Getting around New York

In New York you can use the following means of transport:

Taxis

The yellow colour of the taxis indicates that they have an official licence. Only these taxis are allowed to stop to pick up a customer. Number lit on the roof, it is free! Taxis are equipped with a meter and most give printed receipts. They accept up to four passengers for the same price. Pickup is approximately $2.50 and then you are charged $0.40 per fifth of a mile, or $0.40 per minute of stopping in a traffic jam.

Buses

Most buses run 24 hours a day. This type of transport can be a good way to discover the city. New York buses are modern, clean, air-conditioned, safe and inexpensive. Ticket prices are fixed. To pay, you either have to buy a Metrocard ticket at a train station or at a bus dealer, or give the exact amount to the driver. Tickets are not accepted and change is not given back.

The Subway

The New York underground is a fast and efficient means of transport. Most lines operate 24 hours a day, but there are fewer trains running at night and on weekends. It can be dangerous to venture alone in remote areas such as the Bronx or Harlem, but the lines serving Manhattan anywhere south of Central Park are safe during the day.

How much does the underground cost in New York City?

The underground ticket costs $2.75 and is valid for one ride and for 1 hour, regardless of connections. It is no longer valid once you leave the underground.

The Metrocard Pay per ride, (payment for each ride) from $5 to $100 allows you to make 4 rides per card. It allows you to transfer to a bus and is reloadable as many times as you wish and will save you about 15% compared to the price of a single metro ticket.

The other more advantageous card, the Unlimited Ride Metro Card, costs $33 for 7 days and $121 for a month for unlimited access to the metro and bus. So if you stay a week or more, it’s a very attractive rate. It is valid for 30 days.

In both cases, the Metrocard you will pay 1$ for the purchase of the card, beware it is fragile, it is not a rigid card but flexible, keep it in a wallet, because you risk losing the money put on it. You can reload your Metrocard.

Warning: If you make a mistake at a stop or exit and you have passed through the turnstile with your card, you will have to wait 18 minutes before using it again to get back on track.

How do you buy Metrocard in New York?

Either through the ticket office, but not all stations have a ticket office.

Either by cash machine: if you pay in cash, you will need to top it up or get as close to it as possible, as the machine does not give more than $9 change.
If you pay with your credit card, you will be asked for a ZIP code. You must enter the number 99999.

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Driving in New York

Driving in New York is not recommended. Traffic is very difficult and parking is just as difficult: parking spaces along the pavements are very hard to find and the rates in the dedicated parking zones are exorbitant ($20 to $30 per day depending on the location).