NYC - (title change) Central Park

Used them 3 times on our recent weeklong trip. Pull them both up and compare pricing. Sometimes there is a significant difference. That said, the subway, much of the time, is a lot faster!

Is it ok if I ask a piggyback question?

Do peas use the subway system often while in the city? I’ve looked at the subway maps and the site - I’m usually pretty comfortable with public transportation (and actually really like public transportation- I’m odd like that)but the subway maps and directions are not super intuitive- other than don’t jump on an express train by accident lol. Anyway - interested in any tips.

We are planning to walk a lot - when we were in Seattle we walked up to 13 miles per day - but I have a jam packed itinerary and I’m thinking we might end up in Harlem for dinner but then need to get all the way back down to our hotel. Or over in Brooklyn etc.
Uber of course is an option - just curious about subway.

We actually used yellow taxis most of the time when we were in NYC recently. They've made it easy to pay on the screen in the backseat. You can also download the taxi app and take care of it that way. Our doorman at the hotel would flag them down for us. I had hurt my foot right before we went, and wasn't up for my usual amount of walking. ETA kiera we did find the cabs to be cheaper. And easy to get from the hotel.

We also used the subway. There's an app that you can look up all the maps and figure out where you need to be and which line/train you need to be on. They also added an app that uses apple pay for the fares. That part was super easy to use.

Oh yes, you can use Apple/Google Pay or tap your credit card when going to the subway or boarding a bus, so you don't need to worry about a Metrocard if you plan to use transit. It's $2.75 per ride.

busy not lame at all - it's a big city, if you know someone here who can help then definitely ask for that help! I rarely use cabs/Uber/Lyft at all, largely because of cost, but if something is too far to walk then I'll get on the subway.

Because I go to NYC often (my son lives there) I am perfectly comfortable taking the subway. 95% of the time it’s that or walking.

I was out there a few weeks ago and went with a friend who had also visited NYC a number of times for work, but had never used the subway and was extremely nervous about it. She lives in the suburbs of Seattle and simply never takes any sort of public transportation. Took her down there after dinner on the evening we arrived just so she could see what it was like. She was very dubious but said she’d try it. By the time we were 4 days into the trip she took the train to a tour of Ellis Island that met at the southern tip of Manhattan and back all by herself. Easy peasy. In my opinion it’s not as confusing as it may seem, and there is always someone around that you can ask.

I will say that during my last trip pre-pandemic I took a wrong train (ran for it and didn’t check which train it was) and didn’t realize it until the train became elevated (which I knew it shouldn’t). 😎. NBD, I just got off and took an Uber or Lyft to where I really needed to be!

I’ve walked up to 11 miles a day while visiting. This most recent trip we averaged between 4 and 6.5 miles a day.

kiera - YES that is exactly the advice that I needed. I now feel confident I can navigate the subway system lol.

I’ve already downloaded the app and “practiced” planning a trip lol.

Our mode of transport will be walk, then subway then yellow cab. Thank you J u l e e for this useful thread

J u l e e it’s so long I think I need to make a separate post - I will need advice on what to cut out! I would love to see yours too. How many nights are you going?

That is fantastic! I need friends like that

Subway/bus for sure! Google maps even gives you pretty good directions.

I find that if the traffic is too dense to get a yellow cab, Uber is usually even worse. The price goes up when demand goes up. I use Uber mostly in cities I don't know. LOL

Despite our reputation to the contrary, New Yorkers are generally really good about helping you out if you're lost - or even if you just want to know, "Does this train stop at 72nd Street?" - someone will help you.

We were just there for Thanksgiving and usually visit a few times a year because at least one of my kids has been living in the area for the last few years.

For Christmas-y stuff check out the tree at Rockefeller Center and the windows and light show at Saks.  There are also other lights and windows along 5th Avenue.  The Lego store had fun Christmas windows, if you have kids (or you're an adult who's into Lego).  Close by is St Patricks cathedral, which is gorgeous and solemn and I am not religious at all. And not much farther is the main library with the lions all decked out in wreaths and their vaccination bandaids.

There are several Christmas markets going on now, too.  We stopped by the one in Bryant Park (right by the library).  There's also one in Union Square--the kids stopped by that one and said it was similar--on the way to The Strand, the bookstore we manage to visit on every trip (the Netflix series Dash and Lily is set there).

I love seeing the Rockettes Christmas show at Radio City.  Its cheesy fun, if that's something you're interested in.  The rest of my family is not and definitely make fun of my uncharacteristic love of kicklines.

There's also ice skating at Bryant Park and Rockefeller Center.

To respond to your earlier question, we used Uber like we had money to burn on our last trip because I jacked up my foot.  Prices varied wildly depending on surge pricing.  I never even thought to look at Lyft and didn't know about Curb (thanks Peas!).  I do recall thinking there were a lot fewer cabs around than I've seen on other trips and wondering how hard it would be to hail one if I wanted to.

We usually walk or take the subway pretty much everywhere.  It definitely was not faster to take a car across Manhattan. We've taken trains going the wrong way and express trains when we weren't supposed to, but its never been disastrous.  There are also a couple of apps you can use to help make sure you catch the right one.

 
I always get around by subway and walking (Uber/Lyft sometimes) and Google maps is great (I'm sure there are other apps too, but I just use Google Maps).  If you put in your destination it will tell you how to walk to the subway, which train to take (and it's estimated arrival), how many stops on the train, any train transfers, and how to walk on the other end of your ride. It's straightforward to use and avoid jumping on an express when you don't want it, etc.

Also, you can now use a credit card with a chip instead of buying a Metro Card and doing Metro Card math. The first time you use the credit card in the system, you can only use it once. After that you can "pass back" (i.e. I think up to four people can use the same card and tap it). 

The Wooops vendor at Bryant Park has amazing macaroons, we try to get them every year for my DD.
I love that holiday market. We walked past the one at Union but they weren’t open yet.