woman travelling alone in NYC
 

I will be travelling to NYC alone. I found a place to stay in Chelsea. I'm wondering what time of day should I stop riding the subway and when I should get back to my hotel for the night. Trying not to cab it cause I'm on a budget.

You'll be fine almost any time of day/night. NYC is one of the safest cities in the world. Relax and enjoy your time there. I've gone for business and pleasure for almost 30 years and feel as at home there as I do in my own city. It's a great place to visit solo. I remember walking back from a Broadway show - Cabaret with Neil Patrick Harris in the lead - and I passed a movie theater that was showing a midnight show of Chicago the day (actually night) it opened. I ducked in and saw the movie and then continued the walk back to my midtown hotel after 2 in the morning. I felt perfectly safe. Enjoy your time in the city!

I've been to NYC twice as a female traveler. I don't think there's any reason for any specific time of day to stop using public transport, given the busyness of the city and the low crime rate. However, I would allot yourself a few cab rides (use at your discretion) in your budget, because sometimes it makes things so much easier. A $12 cab ride every 1.5 days (for example) will save you tons of aggravation.

I travel as a solo female to NYC often and have done so for many years. I have never had an incident and I have walked around Chelsea and further south in Soho, etc. until around 2 a.m. However, I generally try to get back to the hotel around midnight though, as if I did have any trouble on the street, I like the idea of having more people around if I have to scream for help...

I think until midnight at least you will barely consider it "late" I suppose it depends on where you're returning from and where exactly you're staying . After a Broadway show things are really busy near theaters till well after midnight. But some hotels in Chelsea are on blocks that look a little quiet (though not dangerous) so just check out the route from the subway you're using to the hotel during the day if you feel nervous.
Don't forget about buses if the subway ride itself makes you uncomfortable very late at night. Do allow yourself a taxi once in a while when you're tired or there's just not an easy way back "home" at the end of a long day.

There are some areas in the outer boroughs along with Washington Heights that aren't the safest in the world, but as a tourist, you probably won't wind up there, anyway. In Manhattan, you're safe.

Same question as on trip advisor -- Hopefully your place to stay is legal. That is the biggest concern

No worries, staying in a hotel. Thanks for all the great advice and not telling me I'm an idiot for being concerned.

By midnight the subways and buses run less often - so we don't use them then - not because it's unsafe - but just because the wait is too long.

Not sure exactly what block you are on - some are more quiet than others. But for that general area you should be fine at any time. If you are super cautious - plan on being in the hotel between 1 am and 6 am.

And any tourist area of NYC is safe - just don;t hang out at the docks or walk alone down dark alleys at 3 am.

We stayed for a week in Chelsea just a couple of weeks ago and took the subway back every night, except one, after a dinner in the meatpacking district. There were always people out and about, though fewer the later it got. It was a very short walk (about 1/2 block) from the subway to our hotel and it was fine.