I did use Uber from and to JFK airport for reliability, but I was able to visit many cities in a few days (Brooklyn, Manhattan, Harlem…… just to name a few) by just hopping on the Subway though. It is by far the cheapest, easiest & fastest way to get around NYC if you need to go anywhere! Bring cash and a debit card to get a metro card for single trips at one of the machines at the station. The cards only cost maybe $3 and some change. Pay close attention to the signs. You might think you’re going ~uptown~ when you were supposed to be going ~downtown~ like me. 🤦🏽‍♀️ But an operator let me get back on the train after letting them know what had happened, thankfully. They probably experience that all the time with travelers. Good Luck!

When entering subway, in the city, do know first exactly where are you going, direction, train number... we thought all stations have underground connection to the other direction, like in Toronto... Assuming so, we payed the ticket and went in the wrong direction entrance. When returning to JFK, by subway, get off from the subway on the second to the last stop, to transfer to the airport train. Not at the very last stop.

I had heard some real horror stories about the New York Subway so it was with a little trepidation that I boarded my first Subway train from 59th Street Columbus. Fortunately I had done a bit of homework beforehand by looking at various videos on Youtube to give me an idea of what to expect and potential pitfalls. You can buy a Metrocard from a vending machine and this will cost $1 on top of whatever credit you put onto the card. You can also check your metrocard balance by putting it in machines which is useful. Alternatively you can pay for your fare by tapping your credit or debit card. One of the top tips I found was to look for the chequered band on the wall opposite the platform as this is where the conductor is located on the train. This is really helpful as if you are unfamiliar you can ask someone who will be able to help you when the train arrives. Whilst I was in New York I used the subway a few times to go to different destinations in Brooklyn, Queens and getting around Manhattan. As long as you keep your wits about you and mind your own business then travelling on the subway is just the same as travelling in many other cities like Paris, London or Toronto.

We were a little bit nervous about travelling on the Metro,but having used it for two days whilst in NYC would definitely recommend it for getting round the city and seeing the various sights. For 2.75 dollars per trip, value for money.We used our debit cards all the time. The cost remains as $2.75 as long as you do not exit barriers.This allows you to connect to different routes without having to pay again. A one day 'hop on hop off bus would cost us $88. Use the Metro for sightseeing at a fraction of the cost.

DO NOT BUY A METROCARD! We purchased an unlimited card for 7 days for 34$ US. The cards are very “picky”. If you are too fast, too slow, have a hesitation when swiping: it does not work! Highly frustrating system. The attending staff are not at all stations so I ended up paying with apple pay. When there is an employee (all of them very nice and helpful) they can let you in. Better option: use your tap and go option. The maximum you will pay is 34$ for the week!

Do not buy the metro card. Ours was so finicky and flimsy that it rarely worked. We asked attendants for help and were told we’d have to mail it in for a refund. We used the tap and go omny option which was much better. No issues at all. We ride it a lot, mostly red and orange lines. Most of it is clean and safe for the largest city in the US. I used google to map routes and saved them.

Visiting NYC from Florida and staying in midtown. Took the 1 train down to south ferry and had an excellent adventure. Easy access, cheap fare, and no problems finding my way. MTA is the best in the world. If you want to get somewhere in NYC quickly and inexpensive, the subway is where it’s at. Highly recommended!

The subway was a great way to go across the city when travelling a larger distance. It is easy to navigate and cost wise is quite reasonable. That being said you can tell that many of the stations as well as the subway trains themselves require investment and improvement. Many stations also do not have accessibility for those who may have physical impairments or frailty.

In summer, some stations can be very hot and subway cars can be very cold. The mosaic in the stations is usually nice and easy to see and navigate. As long as you know that 23rd can be green, yellow, etc., you can navigate the city quite easily. Updown, downtown also helps. Some stations are only open at certain times (like green 28th has an access called 27th which looks great but is only open Monday-Friday 7am-7pm). The OMNY card was a great investment. Even though we only stayed for 5 days, we exceeded the 7 day limit. So it was a good investment.