Ave. walking times and a question on NYC subway
 

This may be a ridiculous question but maybe someone could give me average walking times/distances from these locations? I want a vague idea of what is do-able and an idea of how much we are going to use the subway.

From:
W 81st to Columbus Circle
W 81st to Rockefellar Center
W 81st to Times Square
Pier 83 to Times Square
Midtown to the Village
?

My second question was regarding subways. A lot of people on these boards mention taking cabs home at night after dinners or plays. My guidebook says not to take the subway alone after 10pm. There will be four of us, will we plan on walking or taking a cab after dark (9pm and later)? or is the subway fine?

Thank you!

20 north/south blocks = 1 mile. Crosstown blocks are longer, so
W 81st to Columbus Circle = a little over a mile
W 81st to Rockefellar Center = about 1.75 mi.
W 81st to Times Square = assuming times sq being 42nd & bway, about 2 miles
Pier 83 to Times Square = about .5 mi
Midtown to the Village = where midtown to where in the village?

As far as walking times, figure 20 min/mile at least. At a leisurely pace, more like 30 minutes.

In NYC, 20 blocks = 1 mile, just to give you an idea. I used to live at 82nd and Columbus, and could easily walk to Columbus Circle in under 1/2 hour. From the UWS to Times Square would take probably 40-50 minutes depending on your pace. Pier 83 to Times Square would probably take 25 minutes. Depending on where you are going in the village (East, Greenwich, or West), it varies quite a bit.
The subways are EXTREMELY safe and I take them by myself at all hours. If you are feeling unsafe, the conductor car is typically found in the middle of the train. As a rule of thumb, I try to board a car with as many people as I can late night. If I were in a large group, I would have no hesitation at all.

As far as subways at 10-11pm, with a few others, I don't see it as a problem, unless you are travelling to or from a very out of the way place (bronx, etc). If this is after a broadway show, there will be dozens of people doing the same.

What you need to think about regarding subways at night is not the safety of the cars and stations, but how far you have to walk from the station to your hotel, and what neighborhood you are in.

If you are stayng directly on a main artery like Broadway, you are safe up to south of 110th. If you are on a side street, I would not recommend walking from the subway to your hotel after 10pm. Us natives do it, but I don't recommend it for visitors.

And as always, if you're tipsy, take a cab.

We are staying near the Excelsior on W. 81st street (across from Natural History Museum), and right near a subway station. So I would think that would be fine for at night?

Thanks for all the responses, this is very reassuring and helpful.

I usually estimate 1-2 minutes per north-south block (depending on whether you're walking to get somewhere or wandering and window shopping) and 3-4 minutes per east-west block.

The subway should be fine for a group of four, even late at night and especially in the areas you seem to be traveling. I feel safer on the subways than I do with the crazy cab drivers.

Your neighborhood is probably one of the safest in the whole city. I would feel completely safe walking around there at any time during the day. The B/C train is at 81st and CPW, and the 1/9 is at 79th and B'Way. Either station is a quick safe walk to your hotel. Keep in mind that once you have four adults, it can be as economical to split a cab 4 ways vs. taking the subway, especially from Midtown back to the UWS.

I agree the neighborhood is safe but rule of thumb is not to walk on Central Park West at night, especially the park side. Anybody interested in snatching a purse can disappear into the park.

A cab split four ways is economical.

The subway is fine at night - esp for 4 people. (I wouldn;t take it alone at 3am - but primarily due to time - they run less often then and the streets are empty so a cab is much faster).

And that neighborhood is fine - all mid and upscale (up to $10 million co-ops) residential - plus street level stores and local businesses and TONS of restaurants/cafes that are busy until at least midnight in the summer.

I agree w/NYT, we just returned from NYC Sat. & as long as you take the normal precautions (as you would in any city) you shouldn't have a problem. There were four of us as well. A bigger problem for us was the shutting down of certain subway lines on the weekend. We didn't use a cab the entire time we were there. For example, we traveled back from Stomp (2nd Ave. & 7th (?)) back to our hotel (off of 8th Ave. & 50th) w/no worries after the show.

4 adults would be economical, but we are two couples- not four seperate wallets ;)

Although two is better than one for paying the fare.

I'm glad it was mentioned not to walk along Central Park West at night.

I think you are missing the point. A cab ride from Midtown to UWS at 10PM would probably cost you are $8. A subway from Midtown to UWS at 10PM would cost you $8. I'd rather be in a cab...
It doesn't matter if you are a couple as prices are on a per person basis.

Use this great website. It will tell you directions and time from place to place either by walking or by subway.

http://www.hopstop.com/

No, I get the point. But there is a difference between four seperate adults splitting a cab ride, and two couples splitting it. I think we will be buying the Metrocard for unlimited travel for all week.

You'd rather be in a cab? Didn't your earlier post say it is perfectly safe to take the subway and walk from the station to the hotel?

My preference for a cab has nothing to do with safety. It has to do with waiting on a hot subway platform for up to 30 minutes when I could be in an air conditioned cab speeding towards my destination.
I think people tend to overestimate how much cabs cost in NYC, especially when there are 3-4 people traveling to the same destination.
You will be perfectly safe taking the subway. The cab is matter of convenience, and I'm sure you will have a great trip regardless of how you get to your destinations. Have fun!

Sometimes it just makes sense to take a cab. I'm tired, I'm in a hurry, the subway line isn't close by, etc. Don't rule out taxi travel; it isn't expensive and occasionally makes more sense than the train.

We spend a lot of time in NYC, as my family all live there. And they are all in far flung parts of Manhattan. So we use the train all the time, but we also use cabs as "fill in."

Expensive is relative, but no no I'm not ruling out taxis! This post was more about walking amounts and safety at night. I've gotten really great information in this thread, and I'm going to print it all out. I'm very greatfull for all the info I got here planning this trip over the past 6 months! :)