NYC Transportation Guide

This post has everything you need to know about how to travel around NYC! It includes how to take the subway, where all the main train stations are, and how to use a Citi Bike!

How To Take the Subway

Apple Maps has all of the subway lines and stations, and I use it every time I take the subway. The main thing to know is there are Uptown stations (aka trains going north), and Downtown stations (trains going south). If you zoom in on a station in the app, it will tell you which one is going uptown, and which one is going downtown. So before you enter the station, make sure you’re going in the right direction!

It’s also important to know that some trains don’t stop at every stop, so you need to check which lines stop at that specific station, and get on one of those lines. I show you how to check that in the video below ⬇️

How to Get a Subway Ticket

You used to have to get a MetroCard, but now most stations have tap-to-pay so you can just use your phone. Using your phone is the fastest and best way to pay for the subway. As of today, the subway fare is $2.90.

Subway Safety

Most New Yorkers take the subway to work every day and it’s usually the fastest way to get around the city. However, I wouldn’t take it after 10pm. After 10pm, if you’re going anywhere I would recommend taking an uber.

Train Stations

There are subway stations all around the city, but there are a few main train stations that are big hubs and have access to a bunch of different train lines. They are also fun to walk around and explore if you’re into trains.. for some reason.. like me lmao. 🤣 These stations are:

• Penn Station
  • Trains that go to Penn Station:
    • Subway: A, C, E, 1, 2, 3
    • NJ Transit
    • LIRR (Long Island Railroad)
    • Amtrak
    • The Path train technically doesn’t go into Penn Station, but the 33rd street stop is a block away so it basically goes there.
  • This station is also currently undergoing a major renovation, so I’m excited to see how it looks once it’s done!
• The Moynihan Train Hall
  • This station is across the street from Penn Station and they are connected through an underground tunnel.
  • Trains that go to Moynihan Train Hall:
    • LIRR
    • Amtrak

Tour of Moynihan Train Hall here ⬇️

• Grand Central Station
  • Trains that go to Grand Central Station:
    • Subway Lines: 4, 5, 6, 7, S
    • Metro North Railroad (Goes to / from Connecticut)
    • LIRR – Technically this train goes to “Grand Central Madison”, which is underneath Grand Central Station.

Tour of Grand Central Station here ⬇️

Grand Central Madison Tour ⬇️

• World Trade Center Station
  • Trains that go to the World Trade Center Station:
    • Subway Lines: R, W, A, C, 2, 3, 4, 5, J, Z, E
    • The Path train

Tour of the WTC station here ⬇️

NJ Transit App

If you take the NJ Transit train a lot, I would recommend getting the NJ Transit app. It has all of the train schedules and you can get your ticket right from the app. I walk through how it works here ⬇️

How to Use a Citi Bike

A Citi Bike is great to rent to bike around Central Park. Since Central Park is huge, you can cover a lot of ground if you’re on a bike. If you are going to ride it on the street, be very careful because NYC drivers are FAST and they WILL beep at you. 😄 There are some tips that are good to know in this video here ⬇️

And those are all of my NYC transportation tips! Do you have any tips? Let me know in the comments!