Commuting in New York

New York City is split up into five areas: Queens, Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Staten Island. You can travel to these different cities easily thanks to the 3700 buses, 714 miles of subways, 12,000 taxis and limousines, and unaccountable feeder roads. There are 6400 miles of sidewalk in New York City, so if you choose to walk , it is vital that you wear comfortable shoes and take breaks as needed. Typically, New Yorkers walk very quickly and if you're enjoying the sights that New York has to offer, it is safer to stick to the inside of the sidewalk rather than near the curb.

City that Never Sleeps

New York City has been called the “city that never sleeps”. This phrase sets the tone for food, trade and fashion. For the rest of the world, it is New York's colorful culture that brings a wonderful personality to the state. It would take more than a day just to try out all of the different cultural foods that New York City has to offer. East Indian, Chinese, South American, and Italian are just a handful of the different varieties that you can try in New York. The city is designed to be easily accessible with several choices to make.

New York City Subway & Bus

The bus system has 200 routes and at PC TECH, you are within two blocks of the bus stop. It costs two dollars per ride, no matter how far you decide to travel. To pay for this you can use a metro card, a token or exact change. Bus drivers do not give change and the fare boxes do not accept dollar bills or pennies , so it is important that if you choose to ride the bus, you have the correct change handy.

A metro card is offered for those that plan on doing quite a bit of traveling on the bus. There are a variety of options, including the one day Fun Pass for $7, the seven-day pass for $24, and the 30-day pass for $76 . Each of these will give you unlimited rides. You can also purchase a pay per ride card , which gives you six rides for $10  and 12 rides for $20 . You can put any amount onto a Metro Card.

Traveling around New York City by subway is fast, easy and inexpensive. The trains run 24 hours a day with a general wait times of just a few minutes between trains. 3.5 million people use the subway system in New York City every day. The subway services all major areas in New York, including Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and in the Bronx. The fares work exactly the same as the bus system.

Taxi

Getting around by taxi is a convenient way to travel in New York City, but is more expensive than the other options. You can find cabs at taxi stands, at major hotels and at transportation hubs. If the taxi is accepting passengers, the middle section of the roof light will be on. If the rooftop light has the words “off duty ”, the taxi is not accepting passengers at this time. To flag down a taxi for a ride, all you have to do is raise your hand. Fares for a taxi are $2.50 for the first one third mile, then $.40 for each 1/5 of a mile there after, and $.40 per 120 seconds when a cab is not moving. Between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. there is a $.50 night surcharge that is enforced. Between the hours of 4 p.m. and 8 a.m., there is a dollar surcharge that takes effect. Any tolls that take place will also be added to your final bill.

In addition to these different modes of transportation, individuals who live in New York City have other options of transportation, including bicycles, ferries and personal vehicles . Many New Yorkers have opted out of owning vehicles due to the high price of parking. Students will find all the wide variety of commuting options easy and affordable no matter where they are located in the city.