ADUCHAMP1...I really needed an "outloud laugh" after all this planning. I LOVED your rules for the subway. I skipped through it (both on my post and your previos one) knowing I would come back, so with pad and pen in hand, I CRACKED UP! You are wonderful... Now, the but. Did I get what I needed to know? Don't go to the Bronx. Green means go and red usually does too. Express trains stop at designated areas and the doors usually open on the right. Locals stop at every station, the doors usually open on the right at local stops and on the left at express stops. Or I could follow the crowd heading towards the door. :)

In Manhattan, I don't hesitate to ride the subways 24/7.

One more thing I would add to the "rules" - sometimes, particularly on the weekends, certain subways will replace service w/ shuttle busses. You'll find this failry frequently w/ the L train. It's not a big deal if it happens (AT ALL), but just be aware. Always keep a map of not only the subway/map, but also a good street map. This way, if you do get caught by a disruption (either above or below ground), you can figure out which end is up.

Thank you for the compliment.


Now, the but. Did I get what I needed to know? Don't go to the Bronx. Green means go and red usually does too. Express trains stop at designated areas and the doors usually open on the right. Locals stop at every station, the doors usually open on the right at local stops and on the left at express stops. Or I could follow the crowd heading towards the door.

I am not sure of your questions but you can follow the crowds, if you think they are going to the same place as you.

If you are tourist in midtown it is hard to wind up in the Bronx.

Hi Aduchamp, what I meant by "the but" was, "Did I really find the really important parts?"

Lizziea, you responded to another post of mine. You told me if I chose to stay in the UWS, which I did, you were very knowledgeable. Come on with it :)

"NYC is now considered the safest city in the US."

By <i>whom</i>?

An overstatement, at the least.

However, I don't think tourists need to worry about their safety (re: crime -- crossing streets is another matter) in NYC as they did 30 yrs. ago unless they venture into non-tourist, unfamiliar and &quot;iffy&quot; neighborhoods, or Central Park at night.

Soccr, the poster should have clarified. NYC is considered the safest of the 10 biggest cities in the U.S.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14910822/

soccr, NYC is the 4th safest city in the country with populations over 500,000 and the safest large city in the United States.

I'd bet there are at least 50 cities in the US with populations over 500,000.


FBI findings

http://www.justicepolicy.org/images/...setoUCR_PS.pdf

And, keep in mind, those statistics include all 5 boroughs -- but 99% of tourists leave Manhattan.

Sorry ... 99% of tourists NEVER leave Manhattan ...

(the precincts in NYC with the highest crime rates are not in Manhattan)

Yeah, I've never thought twice about taking a subway anywhere in Manhattan. We just spent last weekend doing it again. Can't say I've ever seen much of anything that would worry me any more than walking around up top. Also a fairly easy system, I think, starting with buying and reloading the metrocard at a kiosk. Now if I could ever manage to come up out of the right exit, I'd be all set.

The subway is as safe as you are! By that I mean, be aware of your surroundings, dont stick out like a sore thumb. Try to walk with determination. Dont hang a camera around your neck while looking at a map...upside down...in the subway! Travel with another person. And DO NOT WEAR A BACKPACK! You can get pick-pocketed and not even know it!

The subways in NYC are perfectly safe. I have traveled on them in the evenings and nights and have never encountered a problem. (1 AM 2 hours from the JFK airport to Manhattan) Ride the car with the conductor (person who opens the doors)
Just don't ride them in the wee hours. The trains run 24 hours, and may be crowded all the time since NYC is a 24 hour city, but why be on the subway after midnight or 1 AM or before 6 AM, when there is less chance of asking someone a question or help.
Be aware of your surroundings. Know what direction you are going. Again, the subways in NYC are not as clear about uptown and downtown as in other places.
Get a subway map. (and a bus map) Unfortunately, the subways in NYC are not really color coded on the platforms. (I have ridden the subways in several cities and countries worldwide, where the color coding makes it a lot easier) The subways in NYC go everywhere and are the fast and most efficient way to travel. It is $2 per ride.
I would buy a metro card. There is a 7 day/weekly pass for $25. There is a one-day pass. I think it is $8. Either will give you unlimited rides on the bus or subway.
There are subway stations that are almost always deserted and empty. Some stations do not have a person to help you. You can buy metrocards in a machine. You can use a credit card, debit card and cash.
Also, be aware that the subways do &quot;weird&quot; stuff on the weekends, (due to track work and other things) so always check to make sure that the subway is going to go where it should.
The buses do not accept paper money, so do buy a metro card, even if you are only going to ride the bus. You can connect to a bus and subway for one fare. (You have 2 hours to travel) You cannot share an unlimited metro card, but you can share a metro card. You can select how much money to put on it. If you get a metro card for more than $7, you get a bonus of 15%. Try to avoid having any money left over. $2 will be taken off for each ride. (One 'transfer' is free--this is from bus-to-bus or bus to subway. You cannot get a 'transfer' from subway to subway. There is a 18 minute delay in using an unlimited card on the subway. Subway to subway travel--this is why you cannot pass an unlimited day or weekly card to someone else.)
I recommend using the NYC subways.

Is the a 'perfectly safe' subway?

http://tinyurl.com/2b4f5q

Is any place in the world 'safe'? ((*))

I just returned from my 2nd solo trip to Manhattan, and my only means of transportation was walking and the subway. I did always know what was going on around me, and I do have a pretty good sense of direction (which helps), but even so, the subways can still be confusing. I always got help from either a fellow rider, or a subway employee. I felt very safe.....but other than going to B'way shows, (in which case you're heading back to your hotel after 11pm), I tried not to ride the subways much after 9pm.....the reason being, that I often had a few blocks to walk after exiting the subway....and sometimes those walks were on fairly dark, deserted streets, and I didn't feel comfortable doing that alone for more than a couple of blocks. In summary, I felt very safe in NYC....both walking and riding the subways......and most of the time I was doing both in broad daylight, or at least during busy hours when crowds of other people were walking and riding the subway. My goal was not to be walking or riding alone.

Um, Jed, your link refers to a subway crime in Philadelphia. No one here made any claims about the relative safety of Philadelphia subways. ;-P

The subways are VERY SAFE these days, but of course you need to use COMMON SENSE. Always always stay alert. Don't be &quot;under the influence&quot; and looking like a target. Don't flash jewelry.Don't travel @ really odd late hours alone. (Better yet, if you're from out of town, but all means take a taxi if it's late @ night.) Don't stay alone in a car. Move to a subway car with other passengers. I've been in the City since the late 70's, and I love our public transportation system. You can travel far and wide for a mere $ 2!