New York City Transportation

An overview of the public transit options in New York City

There are multiple public transportation options for getting around in New York City. With the exception of the ferries, New York City's public transportation services are operated under the umbrella of the MTA which is short for Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The heart of the system is the New York Subway which is the most extensive underground transit system in the world. Most of the attractions in New York are within easy walking distance of a subway station, however, if an attraction is a bit too far for you to walk to, you will likely find there is a New York City Transit Bus that will get you there in a jiffy. The other major methods of getting around in New York and beyond are railroads and passenger ferries. The subway is one of very few in the world that provides true 24 hour service.

It may seem a intimidating at first, however with all these options and a little advance planning you will find it quick and easy to get around in New York during your vacation. Just follow the links on this page to get more information on each of the main transit services. Each destination in our New York City Attractions section has helpful directions for getting to it by transit.

When it comes to fares we suggest purchasing a 'Metro Card', which is both more convenient than paying cash and saves you money. It is also available in a 7-Day or 30-Day Unlimited Pass. See our section on fares for more detailed information.

Walking is also a great way to get around when exploring the attractions of New York, especially Manhattan. It is often as quick or quicker to walk the distance between two subway stations than to go through the process of taking the subway. You will also get to see even more of New York by walking. You can visit a lot of attractions in a day just walking from one to another, as many of them are very close to one another.

For more detailed information about the various modes of public transportation in New York click on the links below.

1. Fares - What you need to know
2. New York Subway
3. New York Buses
4. Ferries
5. Railroad
6. Airport Transportation
7. Trip Planner and Alerts
8. Transit Tips - Things you should know before you go.

See Our Entire Selection of Exciting New York Travel Adventures and Tours