The last time I was in New York, I recalled that the subways were not very handicap accessible. Very few stations seemed to have elevators. My friend and family are planning another trip and I worry about getting around due to my friend not being able to use the stairs. Am I mistaken in my recall of the subways?

You are not mistaken. The larger stations have some escalators and/or elevators, but for the most part, stairs are the norm. Here's a list of accessible stations in Manhattan:

http://www.mta.info/accessibility/st....htm#manhattan

City buses have just a few steps, plus all buses have a lift at the front door for riders who can not climb stairs.

Ellenem is right. And even those stations that have elevators or escalators, they are not always working. Additionally there is often one part of the ascent or descent that does not have an elevator or an escalator.

Very few stations have elevator or escalators and the ones that do exist are often out of order. Subways are not a good choice for someone who can;t manage stairs.

You are much better off sticking with cabs or city buses (which can "kneel" and have room set aside for wheelchairs).

Really good info here. The subway is still not very accessable to people with walking difficulties. Very few stations have elevators and even if they do, there are usually still stairs to climb.

The city buses, are now mostly step on from the curb, and as mentioned the bus can even lower the step if needed. It really a great way to see the city from the bus, or you can get one of the tours of the city so you ride in comfort. You might google tours of NYC and find some of the smaller van tours that might be a better fit for your trip.

Unfortunately, you're right. I have a new appreciation for how hard it is now that I often have a stroller to consider. The elevators are few and far between, and relying on them would really limit your ability to sightsee. The bus is a great option though!

I don't know if I'd say the bus is a "great" option. During the busiest parts of the day, it often gets stuck in traffic, and you can waste hours every day just trying to get around. But if you use a combination of the subway (where it is available to people in wheelchairs), city buses, and taxis, I think you'll do fine. And if you are doing a specific activity and need to travel fairly far fairly quickly, a car service might also be an option; if, for example, you wanted to go to the Botanical Garden in the Bronx, for example.

This is also one case where it might be worthwhile to buy one of those hop-on/hop-off tourist buss; however, you need to be prepared to wait and wait at some of the stops since the buses are often very overcrowded in the summer months.

Also there are free transfers from subway to bus, so you can use subway whenever possible, and switch to bus if needed, at no additional fare.

Thanks for your replies

The problem with using subways if you can;t use stairs is that you may get to your station and not be able to get out to the street (you can;t count on elevators or escalators working - esp on weekends when they schedule repairs). buses are slower, but you can use them. If time is of the essence use a cab - not very expensive fo 3 people.