USA.QeX.cz - Spojené státy českýma očima

New York City (francouzsky: Nouvelle York, španělsky: Nueva York, zkráceně: NYC) je nejvýznamnější a nejlidnatější město Spojených států amerických. Rozkládá se na východním pobřeží země v jižním cípu stejnojmenného státu, při ústí řeky Hudson do Atlantského oceánu.

Vlastní město, sestávající se z pěti obvodů (Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens a Staten Island), zaujímá rozlohu 800,31 km² a má 8 214 426 obyvatel (1.6.2006). Metropolitní oblast, zasahující i do sousedních států, má 22 milionů obyvatel. New York má dvě mezinárodní letiště (Kennedyho a LaGuardiovo), za řekou v sousedním státě New Jersey je třetí velké letiště Newark.

Město je hospodářskou metropolí Spojených států a centrem světového obchodu. Samo má roční hrubý domácí produkt kolem 500 miliard dolarů, což by z něj při pomyslném srovnání se státy světa činilo šestnáctou největší ekonomiku planety. Sídlí zde mnoho mezinárodních organizací, včetně OSN. New York je také znám jako město mrakodrapů.

Na Manhattanu na 83. ulici se nachází konzulát České republiky. Telefonní předvolba je 917 (area code).

Historie

V 17. století koupili Nizozemci ostrov Manhattan za tretky v hodnotě 60 florinů (později odhadováno na ekvivalent 24 USD) od indiánů a založili zde osadu Nieuw-Amsterdam. Tu však roku 1664 Angličané obsadili a přejmenovali ji na New York, na počest Jakuba, vévody z Yorku (pozdější král Jakub II. Stuart). Až do výstavby kanálu spojujícího řeku Sv. Vavřince s Atlantským oceánem, město nemělo téměř žádný význam. Poté se ale stalo pulsujícím přístavem a bránou do Ameriky.

V 19. století dorazila jako francouzský dar Socha svobody na své dnešní místo. Koncem 19. století už proudily davy dělníků z Brooklynu a New Jersey na Mannhatan, což zatěžovalo všechny newyorské mosty, takže byl postaven tunel pod řekou Hudson a na začátku minulého století (1904) i první trasa metra. Manhattan byl rozšířen, uprostřed byl zřízen veliký Central Park a na ostrově se usídlilo množství institucí.

Ve 20. letech 20. století se začaly stavět první mrakodrapy – Woolworth Building, Chrysler Building a Empire State Building (1931), který až do roku 1973 byl nejvyšší stavbou ve městě (na jeho střeše měly přistávat dokonce i vzducholodě, z tohoto plánu nakonec sešlo). V 50. letech zde vznikla koncepce moderního mrakodrapu. Roku 1973 zde bylo postaveno Světové obchodní centrum, tzv. Dvojčata, která byla nakrátko nejvyššími budovami světa a po 28 let dominantou města. Teroristé se je pokoušeli zničit v roce 1993, ale podařilo se jim to až 11. září 2001.

I Love NY

• nejvýznamnější a nejlidnatější město USA
• rozkládá se na 5 částí: Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens a Staten Island.
• rozloha 800,31 km² a má 8 108 040 obyvatel
• New York má dvě mezinárodní letiště Kennedyho a La Guardiovo a třetí je v New Jersey Newark
• je hospodářskou velmocí a centrem světového obchodu.
• roční produkt kolem 500 miliard dolarů
• sídlí zde mezinárodní organizace OSN
• v 83.Avenue sídlí konzulát ČR

Kriminalita

New York je nejbezpečnější americké město s počtem obyvatel větším než 1 milion a čtvrté nejbezpečnější město s počtem obyvatel větším něž 500 000. Za posledních 12 let se kriminalita snížila o 75%. Počet vražd v roce 2005 byl nejnižší od roku 1963: za celý rok (2005) bylo spácháno 537 vražd, v roce 1990 to bylo 2 245. V roce 2004 bylo na 100 000 obyvatel spácháno 2 800 různých trestných činů. V Dallasu je to 8 960, v Detroitu 7 904 a v Phoenixu 7 402.

Doprava

Na rozdíl od většiny amerických měst není převažujícím druhem dopravy individuální automobilová, ale doprava veřejná. Velká (na americké poměry) část obyvatel nemá vlastní automobil.

Páteřním systémem městské hromadné dopravy je metro, které doplňují stovky linek autobusů a vlakové spoje. Mezi New Yorkem a New Jersey je také speciální mezistátní linka metra PATH = Port Authority Trans-Hudson. Město obsluhují čtyři velká letiště - JFK International Airport, Newark Liberty International, La Guardia Airport a Teterboro Airport.

Důležitým prvkem dopravy jsou také známé žluté taxíky. Jedná se o automobil Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, který používá i (nejen) Newyorská policie NYPD.

Atmosféra

New York vždy charakterizovaly klasické žluté taxíky, rychlý životní styl, kina na ulici Broadway a také tzv. tavicí kotel („melting pot“) - to znamená, že město je plné mnoha kultur, které se navzájem asimilují a vytvářejí tak kulturu novou, americkou.

Veliké množství lidí v ulicích, nepřítomnost kontejnerů na domovní odpad (odpadky se několikrát týdně odkládají ve velikých černých plastových pytlích na ulici) a další faktory zapřičiňují, že je i na Manhattanu hodně špíny a místy silný zápach.

V New Yorku žije mnoho Číňanů a hlavně Portoričanů, kteří se sem stěhují za prací. Čínská čtvrť se stále rozrůstá na úkor části Manhattanu známé jako "Little Italy". Čtvrť Bronx a severní část Manhattanu Harlem je známa jako synonymum pro chudinskou černošskou čtvrť. V Queensu a Brooklynu žije etnicky nejrozmanitější obyvatelstvo v celých Spojených státech. Queens je synonymem pro rozsáhle obytné komplexy, v Brooklynu se dají najít jak špinavé chudinské čtvrti jako např. Bedford-Stuyvesant, tak milionářské rezidence u pobřeží.

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New York (also referred to as "New York City" or "the City"), the biggest city in New York state, lies at the mouth of the Hudson River in the southern most part of the state, which is part of the Mid-Atlantic region of the USA.

The New York Metropolitan Area spans parts of three states—lower New York, northern New Jersey, and southwestern Connecticut. It is the USA's largest metro area, with a population of 18.7 million. As of 2007, it was 5th in the world, after Tokyo, Sao Paulo, Mexico City and Seoul.

New York City is the center for media, culture, food, fashion, art, research, finance, and trade. It has the largest and most famous skyline on earth, dominated by the iconic Empire State Building.

Districts

New York City consists of five boroughs, which are five separate counties. Each borough has a unique culture—each could be a large city in its own right. Within each borough individual neighborhoods—some only a few blocks in size—have personalities lauded in music and film. Where you live, work, and play in New York says something to New Yorkers about who you are.

The five New York boroughs are:

• Manhattan (New York County) — The famous island between the Hudson and East Rivers, with many diverse and unique neighborhoods.
• Brooklyn (Kings County) — The most populous borough, at one point a separate city. Located south and east of Manhattan across the East River. Known for artists, music venues, beaches, and Coney Island.
• Queens (Queens County) — U-shaped and located to the east of Manhattan, across the East River, and north, east, and south of Brooklyn. Queens is the home of the city's two international airports, the New York Mets professional baseball team, the United States Open Tennis Center, the country's second largest Chinatown.
• The Bronx (Bronx County) — Located north of Manhattan Island, the Bronx is home to the Bronx Zoo and the New York Yankees professional baseball team.
• Staten Island (Richmond County) — A large island in New York harbor, south of Manhattan and just across the narrow Kill Van Kull from New Jersey. Unlike the rest of New York City, Staten Island has a suburban character.

Understand

New York City is one of the global centers of international finance, politics, communications, film, music, fashion, and culture, and is among the world's most important and influential cities. It is home to many world-class museums, art galleries, and theatres. Many of the world's largest corporations have their headquarters here. The headquarters of the United Nations is in New York and most countries have a consulate here. This city's influence on the globe - and all its inhabitants - is hard to overstate, as decisions made within its boundaries often have impacts and ramifications literally across the globe.

Immigrants (and their descendants) from over 180 countries live here, making it one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. Travelers are attracted to New York City for its culture, energy and cosmopolitanism.

Orientation

At the center of New York City sits the borough of Manhattan, a long, narrow island nestled in a natural harbor. It is separated from The Bronx on the north east by the Harlem River (actually a tidal strait); from Queens and Brooklyn to the east and south by the East River (also a tidal strait); and from the State of New Jersey to the west and north by the Hudson River. (Staten Island lies to the south west, across Upper New York Bay.)

In Manhattan, the terms “uptown” and “north” mean in the direction of the Bronx, north east on the compass, while “downtown” and “south” mean in the direction of the Battery, to the south west. To avoid confusion, simply use “uptown” and “downtown.”

The term “the city” may refer either to New York City as a whole, or to Manhattan alone, depending on the context. The Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Queens are sometimes referred to as “the outer boroughs.”

Climate

New York City has a humid continental climate and experiences all four seasons with hot and humid summers (June-Sept), cool and dry autumns (Sept-Dec), cold winters (Dec-Mar), and wet springs (Mar-June). Average highs for January are around 38°F (3°C) and average highs for July are about 84°F (29°C). However, temperatures in the winter can go down to as low as 10°F (-12°C) and in the summer, temperatures can go as high as 100°F (38°C). The temperature in any season is quite variable and it is not unusual to have a sunny 50°F (10°C) day in January followed by a snowy 25°F (-3°C) day. New York can also be prone to snowstorms and nor'easters, which can dump as much as 2 feet of snow. Hurricanes can also hit New York City in the summertime, although they tend to be weak. Overall, New York is warmer than inland cities like Chicago and Cleveland, but, in winter, it can seem a lot colder because you spend a lot more time outdoors.

History

People

The diverse population includes some of America's wealthiest celebrities and socialites, as well as hundreds of thousands of immigrants. New York's population has been diverse since the city's founding by the Dutch. Successive waves of immigration—first Dutch, then British, African, Irish, German, Italian, Jewish, Eastern European, Jamaican, Chinese, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Mexican, Haitian, Korean, Indian, Arab —make New York a giant social experiment in cross-cultural harmony.

Melting pot

The city's ethnic heritage illuminates different neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs. In Manhattan, Little Italy remains an operating (if touristy and increasingly Chinese) Italian enclave, though many New Yorkers consider Arthur Avenue in the Bronx to be the "real" Little Italy. Chinatown remains a vibrant center of New York's Chinese community, though in recent years the much larger Chinese neighborhood of Flushing in Queens has rivaled if not eclipsed it in importance, and two other Chinatowns have formed in Brooklyn. Traces of the Lower East Side's once-thriving Jewish community still exist amid the newly-gentrified neighborhood's trendy restaurants and bars, but there are Chassidic communities in Borough Park, Crown Heights and Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Harlem has been gentrifying and diversifying lately but remains a center of African-American culture in New York. East (Spanish) Harlem still justifies its reputation as a large Hispanic neighborhood. Little known to most tourists are the large Dominican neighborhoods of West Harlem and Washington Heights in upper Manhattan. Brooklyn and Queens are known for being home to many of New York's more recent immigrant groups, which since 1990 have included large numbers of Russians, Chinese, Arabs, Indians, Pakistanis, Africans, Mexicans, Jamaicans, Koreans and Japanese, amongst others.

Economy

Home to more Fortune 500 companies than any other city in the country, New York City is the engine of the US economy. Its gross metropolitan product of US$488.8 billion in 2003 was the largest of any city in the United States and the sixth largest compared to US states. If it were a nation, the city would have the 16th highest GDP in the world, exceeding that of Russia.

New York is the national center for several industries. It is the home of the three largest US stock exchanges (NYSE, NASDAQ, and AMEX) and a wide array of banking and investment firms. Though these companies have traditionally been located in the area around Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, many are in Midtown and other parts of the city. New York is the hub of the country's publishing, fashion, accounting, advertising, media, and legal industries. The city boasts several top-tier hospitals and medical schools, which train more physicians than those in any other city in the world.

Get in

By plane

New York City is well connected by air with flights from almost every corner of the world. Three large airports (and several small ones) serve the region. John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport are large international airports while LaGuardia Airport is a busy domestic airport. All three airports are run by The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey [2].

All airports- It would be wise to allow a minimum of 90 minutes for trips between midtown and the airports whether you use public transport or a taxi. Rush hour traffic in New York is notorious, especially on the congested Van Wyck Expressway to Kennedy airport. The lack of elevators at subway stations makes lugging luggage up and down subway stairs difficult. Suburban shared ride vans are available: use the phones provided near baggage claim for information. If taking a taxi, go to the taxi dispatcher. Do not accept offers of rides from people hanging around in the terminal because there is a high risk of being cheated. Since only the subway runs 24 hrs, if leaving for an early flight with a two-hour check in, you may need to take a taxi. Check bus schedules carefully if your flight leaves during the wee hours.

If you are on extreme tight schedule and have to catch the flight or want something extra then US Helicopter [3]flies you in 9 minutes from Midtown to Newark or JFK.

Connection to Other Airports- Connections between airports are poor at best. New York Airport Express runs buses between LGA and JFK. ETS Air Shuttle runs (very infrequent) buses between LGA and Newark Airport. A taxi is your best, although slightly more expensive, option when changing airports in New York - unless you have plenty of time!

John F. Kennedy International Airport

Terminal 5

JFK Airport's Terminal 5, the futuristic former Trans World Airlines terminal designed by Eero Saarinen, is being refurbished into a new terminal for jetBlue, after being vacant following TWA's demise in 2001. The renovation is slated for completion in 2009.

John F. Kennedy International Airport (IATA: JFK)[4] is in the borough of Queens to the east of the city. Many international airlines fly into JFK and it is a major international hub for Delta Airlines (Terminals 2 and 3) and American Airlines (Terminal 8). Air France (Terminal 1), Lufthansa (Terminal 1), British Airways (Terminal 7), and Virgin Atlantic (Terminal 4) each provide several flights daily into JFK. JetBlue, a large low-cost carrier in the US, occupies Terminal 6. A free AirTrain connects the terminals. Always make sure you know which terminal your flight arrives at or departs from.

Left luggage services are available in the arrivals areas of Terminal 1 and Terminal 4. There are plenty of ATMs (almost all charge a small fee). Luggage trolleys are available either for a fee of $3 (Terminals 2, 3, 7, 8, 9 and all departures) or free (Terminals 1 and 4). There are many hotels in all categories close to the airport and most run shuttle buses to/from the airport.

Taxi- The most flexible route into the city from JFK is a taxi, although the wait for one can be long when many flights arrive simultaneously. Cab fare runs a flat $45 anywhere in Manhattan, not including tolls (up to $4) or tips (15-20% depending on the level of service). Follow signs "Ground Transportation" and "Taxi" to the taxi line outside the arrivals area and look for the taxi dispatcher. Taxis to points other than Manhattan and taxis to the airport from anywhere use the meter (see taxis in Getting Around). During peak periods, you may have to wait up to 30 minutes for a taxi. Note that the arrivals terminals are filled with drivers hawking illegal livery rides at grossly inflated prices that prey on newly arrived tourists, so beware. If you feel comfortable doing so, you can sometimes bargain with the touts to get down to $35-40. (This saves the wait in the taxi line.)

Car Service/Limousines- A useful way of getting to the airport (see the Getting Around section) because it is not always easy to find taxis in Manhattan. You can always call ahead and have a car service pick you up from the airport ($60+ for points in Manhattan) if you want that convenience.

Coach services- That provide bus service from JFK and La Guardia to Grand Central Station and Penn Station.New York Airport Express provides services into Grand Central Station, Penn Station, and the Port Authority Bus Terminal for $15/person. Trans-Bridge Lines provides infrequent service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal for $12.SuperShuttle with blue vans provides service to Manhattan hotels for about $25. Another popular shuttle service comes from way of airlinkny. Great rates from all major airports starting at $12 to $15 per person to Grand Central Port Authority, Penn Station, Bryant Park, and Midtown Hotels. The 'New York Airport Express' service is not as well organized as made out on their website. They recommend which bus you take, however this does not take into account the huge delays in immigration queues at JFK, especially Terminal 4 (2hrs+ at peak times) upon arrival in Manhattan, the bus drops you off at Grand Central Terminal, and you transfer to another smaller bus. The whole situation at this point is chaos and confusion, the drivers are un-helpful and nobody seems to know what is going on. Also the website advertises a transfer to your hotel, but they just drop you off in the general area.

Commuter rail- The JFK AirTrain, which stops at each terminal, runs to Jamaica station on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR). The LIRR runs frequent trains to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan, taking 20-25 minutes. Total time from the airport to Penn Station is about 45 minutes. At Jamaica, you can also catch trains to points further east on Long Island, to Flatbush Ave station in Brooklyn, or to Hunterspoint Ave in Queens. These trains are less frequent than the Penn Station trains. You may also take trains to Ronkonkoma, where you can get shuttles to Islip airport, useful for catching flights on Southwest Airlines. When going from the airport to Manhattan, taking the train can be significantly faster than a taxi, especially during peak travel times. This route is less attractive if you have a lot of baggage, though elevators are available at Jamaica and Penn Stations. Fare: the AirTrain will cost $5. To Penn Station, the LIRR will cost an addition $5.25 during non-peak times, $7.25 during peak times, and $3.25 on weekends for a total cost of $8.25-12.25. To get the weekend fare, you'll need to purchase a special City Ticket.

Subway, from the airport to Manhattan: The JFK AirTrain [5]runs to Howard Beach station to connect with the "A" subway and to Jamaica station to connect with the "E" and "J/Z" subways (Sutphin Blvd station). If you are travelling to the downtown area (the Financial District), use the "A" train from Howard Beach. If heading to the midtown area (including Times Square) use the "E" train. However, as the E train makes so few stops in Queens, it could be faster to take the E regardless. Late nights, the A runs as a local in Brooklyn and can be significantly slower than the E from anywhere in Manhattan. The JFK AirTrain costs $5; the subway costs $2.

Subway, to the Airport from Manhattan- Take the E Train to Sutphin Blvd, or the A Train to Howard's Beach. If catching the A, board trains with destination signs marked with Far Rockaway via JFK Airport or Rockaway Park via JFK Airport. If you catch a Ozone Park-Lefferts Blvd A, you will need to transfer to a train headed to the Rockaways. If you do end up on a train to Lefferts and miss an opportunity to transfer, IT IS OKAY. At Lefferts Boulevard, transfer to the Q10 bus on street level, which travels to JFK Airport. Or you can backtrack as well. When taking this route into or out of Manhattan during the overnight hours be alert of your surroundings as you will be passing through some rough neighborhoods.

The Cheap Option- If you really want to slum it and avoid the $5 AirTrain ticket, you can take NYCT buses ($2 or a free transfer from the subway) to Lefferts Boulevard station where you can catch an A train, or to New Lots Avenue, in Brooklyn, where you can catch a 3 train. Note that the latter option is right in the middle of East New York, which may not the best place to be if you're not a local. You may also remain on the bus, and transfer to either the "L" train at Van Sindren Avenue (New Lots Avenue station), the (C) at Fulton Street (Kingston-Throop Avenues station, roughly two blocks west) or the (J) or (M) trains at Flushing Avenue, the last stop on the bus. 'Transferring between bus and subway requires a MetroCard; the single ride ticket does not allow transfers so this is likely to cost you $4 unless you have a multiple ride metrocard, in which case it will cost you $2. You won't pay anything if you have a day, week, or 30 day pass. Metrocards are available for sale at Hudson Newsstands in Terminals 1 and 6.

Newark Liberty International Airport

Newark Liberty International Airport, 1-800-EWR-INFO, (IATA: EWR)[6] is located to the west of the city in Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey. The airport has three terminals labeled A, B, C. Terminal C is the home of Continental Airlines which has a major hub at Newark. Most other international airlines use Terminal B while domestic flights are from Terminal A but there are exceptions, so check your terminal before you head for the airport.

Taxi- Taxis are available outside the terminals (look for signs labeled 'Ground Transportation' and 'Taxi' when leaving the arrivals area). Travelers to New York City are charged a flat rate based on the destination (the dispatcher will note the fare and destination on the taxi form). The fare to most parts of Manhattan is $50-70. Tips (15%-20%) and tolls are extra (except for destinations to Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn, expect to pay $6 for bridge or tunnel entry into Manhattan. You may also pay a small toll, under $2, if the driver uses the New Jersey Turnpike).

Train- From Newark Airport, take the AirTrain (easy elevator and escalator access from Terminals) to the Newark Airport Train Station (about 10 minutes) to connect to a NJ Transit or Amtrak train running along the Northeast Corridor line for connecting service to New York Penn Station (34th Street and 8th Avenue in Manhattan). Expect to spend around 5 minutes getting ticketed and to the correct platform. One-way fares to Penn Station are $15.00 if you take a NJ Transit train, and between $20 and $30 on Amtrak. Note that if you take the NJ Transit train there is also a stop at Penn Station, Newark, New Jersey - stay on till Penn Station, New York. The NJ Transit train from Newark Airport to Penn Station, New York takes about 30 minutes and trains come every 15-30 minutes. Note that NJ Transit tickets are not valid on Amtrak so, if you are going to Manhattan, don't get onto an Amtrak train at the Newark Airport Rail Station. The Amtrak connection is only useful if you are traveling away from the New York Metropolitan Area to areas not served by NJ Transit (New Haven, Philadelphia, or even Washington D.C. and Boston). Port Authority personnel are available at the rail station to help you figure out what ticket you need and what train to take.

Airport Bus- Olympia Trails[7] ($14 one way, $23 round trip) runs buses every 15 minutes to Manhattan, with stops at the Port Authority Bus Terminal (41st Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenue), Bryant Park, and Grand Central Station. One-way trip time is about 40 minutes depending on traffic.

Public Transit- For the most inexpensive option possible, take the New Jersey Transit bus #62 to Newark Penn Station (one-way fare $1.35). From there, you may take a PATH subway train either to World Trade Center station in lower Manhattan, or, by transferring at the Journal Square station to the 33rd St. train (across the platform), to the following stops along Sixth Avenue: Christopher Street in Greenwich Village, 9th Street, 14th Street, 23rd Street, and 33rd Street. Note that transfer to the New York Transit subway system almost always requires an exit onto the street. The combined fare for the bus/PATH option ($2.85) is significantly lower than the EWR AirTrain with NJ Transit, but will take longer —plan on 1.5–2 hours — and requires 1-2 transfers. As a word of caution, note that this is not a well-publicized option; you may well find yourself to be the only tourist on the bus, so don't expect much help or companionship in finding your way.

Since public transport will drop you off at only a couple of points in Manhattan, you should make your choice of transport depending on where you are headed and how much luggage you are carrying. For points near New York Penn Station, the AirTrain/NJ Transit option works well. For points downtown, it may be faster to take the NJTransit bus and then a PATH train. For places on the east side, near Grand Central Station, the airport bus would be perfect. Be aware that, if you have luggage, getting into Manhattan and then looking for a taxi, while cheaper, won't be easy during rush hour.

LaGuardia Airport

LaGuardia Airport (IATA: LGA)[8] is a smaller, older airport providing many of the domestic services for the city including the shuttles to Boston and Washington, D.C.. The Marine Air Terminal, currently the terminal used by Delta Airlines for shuttle services to Washington D.C. and Boston, is one of the oldest, still-in-use, airport terminals in the world. LaGuardia is conveniently located for getting to and from the city and is well connected by public transport.

Taxi- Taxis to and from most points in Manhattan cost $20-$30 plus tips and tolls. You can save on tolls by asking the driver to use Queensboro Bridge for points midtown and on the upper east side, the Williamsburg Bridge for the Village and downtown, or Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges for points downtown. If going above about 72nd street, it is better to pay the toll and take the triboro bridge into Manhattan.

Public Transport- LaGuardia is served by three city bus lines. The M60 bus connects with N and W trains at Astoria Blvd., and crosses Manhattan using 125th St. It connects with the Lexington Line (4, 5, and 6 trains) at Lexington Avenue, the 8th Avenue (the A and C) and 6th Av. (B, D) Lines at St. Nicholas Av., and the IRT Seventh Avenue Express 2 and 3 at Lenox Avenue (officially called Malcolm X Boulevard), and Broadway (for the 1). This is a useful service if you are staying in Harlem, the Columbia University area or Hostelling International New York, as it goes south on Broadway (west side) to 106th St. The Q33 and the Q47 bus to Roosevelt Avenue/Jackson Heights connect to the E, F, G, R, 7, V. For points downtown, use the Q33/Q47 and then the E. For points on the upper east side, connect to the 4,5,6 from the M60. For the upper west side, take the M60 and connect to the 2,3. For Morningside Heights/Columbia University, stay on the M60 all the way. For midtown/Times Square, the Q33/Q47 and then the 7 train or E train is the best option. (The 7 train is above ground through most of Queens, enabling visitors to see more of the city than the below ground E train.) For all buses you need $2 in coins or a Metro Card. There is a change machine in the airport terminal and Hudson News, the newsstand operator for LaGuardia, has some types of metrocards for sale.

Airport Bus- New York Airport Express runs buses to Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station for $12. There are also shuttle buses that will take you straight into Manhattan and cost $12. These run about every 10-15 minutes from LGA and stop off at Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station.

Other Airports

MacArthur Airport-[9] in Islip on Long Island is served by Southwest Airlines, a major discount carrier in the US. ATA and US Airways have a minor presence at the airport. MacArthur Airport can be reached by rail from Penn Station in Manhattan by Long Island Railroad to Ronkonkoma (1.5 hours, $6.50) and then a shuttle to the airport (10 minutes, $5); by bus on the Hampton Jitney ($25) and a taxi ($10).

Westchester County Airport- (HPN)[10], near White Plains, NY, is served by several airlines. It is most convenient to Westchester County and adjacent areas of Connecticut, but it is possible to access New York City from there by taking the AirLink bus (fare $1.75; call 914-813-7777 for details) to the White Plains Metro-North station, and a Metro-North train to any of various points in the Bronx, or 125th St./Park Av. and Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan. Trains to Grand Central ($6.25 off-peak and $8.50 peak for ordinary fares; see www.mta.info for further information on fares and schedules) run roughly every half hour for most of the day and take approximately 40 minutes.

Stewart International Airport-[11] is served by a number of airports and can be reached by rail from Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan by Metro North to Newburgh and then a shuttle.

New York City is also served by Teterboro Airport, in Teterboro, NJ, though this airport is used primarily for general aviation and receives no commercial flights.

By train

Amtrak

Amtrak, 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245),[12], operates from New York Penn Station, which is directly under Madison Square Garden, its largest hub in Amtrak's east-coast system, with dozens of arrivals and departures daily. Amtrak's Acela[13] express train provides regular fast commuter service between major points on the east coast from Washington, D.C. up to Boston, with stops at Baltimore, Philadelphia, New Haven, and Providence. Direct Amtrak services are available to points along the East Coast down to Florida; to points between New York and Chicago (including Pittsburgh, and Cleveland); to New York State (including Albany, Rochester, Buffalo and Niagara Falls); and to Toronto and Montreal in Canada. Service to California (three days) requires a change of train in Chicago. Popular trains leaving near rush hours can fill up quickly: it's a good idea to make reservations online[14], or via phone, and pick up your ticket at one of the electronic kiosks.

Amtrak's Metropolitan Lounge, located near the big security desk in Penn Station, offers Airline Business Class lounge amenities (and clean bathrooms). Travelers with sleeper tickets, First Class Acela tickets, or Continental Airline Business First tickets (for travel from Newark to Hawaii, Guam, Tokyo, HongKong, or Transatlantic destinations) can use this lounge.

Tickets for Northeast corridor trains can be purchased from QuikTrack machines with a credit card. Tickets booked online can be collected at these machines (keep the credit card or reference number handy). It is best to buy your tickets in advance for popular services.

Commuter Rail

New York City is served by three commuter railroads.

• Long Island Rail Road (LIRR)[15] operates from New York Penn Station with service to points in Long Island with stops at Jamaica Station, Long Island City, Hunters Point, and others in Queens and Atlantic Avenue station in Brooklyn. The main LIRR lines include services to Port Jefferson, Montauk, Oyster Bay, Port Washington, and Greenport; with a number of branch lines to other points on Long Island.
• Metro-North Rail Road (Metro North)[16] operates from Grand Central Terminal to points north and east of the city (Westchester, Putnam, Duchess Counties in New York_, and points in the state of Connecticut). The New Haven line serves cities along the coast with a branch line to Danbury. The Hudson Line serves points along the Hudson River to Poughkeepsie. The Harlem Line serves Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess Counties to Pawling and Wassaic. Trains also stop at the Harlem station on 125th street and Park Avenue in Manhattan. At New Haven, passengers may transfer to Amtrak or to the Shore Line East providing local service between New Haven and New London, Connecticut.
• New Jersey Transit http://www.njtransit.com] operates from New York Penn Station to points in New Jersey. The Northeast corridor line goes to Princeton and Trenton. Services are also available for points along the Jersey Coast and along the Hudson River to points north of the city. Connecting service is available from Trenton to Philadelphia via SEPTA or to Camden (New Jersey) via RiverLINE. Connecting service to Newark Liberty International Airport is available from some Northeast corridor trains.

By bus

New York Airport Service (NYAS)[17] is the only authorized scheduled bus service from the NY airports to Manhattan. It offer economical scheduled service to and from Manhattan (Penn Station, Port Authority, Grand Central Terminal), JFK and LGA Airports and Midtown Hotels.

Greyhound[18] is the largest and oldest private bus company in the US, and operates its east-coast hub out of Manhattan's Port Authority Bus Terminal[19]. Recently Peter Pan Bus Company [20] has come to dominate bus travel from New York to Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, coordinating some schedules with Greyhound, while competing vigorously against Greyhound on many routes. The terminal operates on a 24-hour schedule, with regular departures to practically every city in the country, as well as to Toronto and Montreal, Canada. Big cities like Boston, DC, Chicago and LA will have multiple departures daily—smaller cities may only have one or two, so be sure to check the schedules in advance! Remember that distances in the USA are large and you could be on the bus a long time—a very long time.

Port Authority Bus Terminal[21] also hosts a dozen or so smaller bus companies, which generally offer service along the Boston-to-DC regional axis.

Limoliner[22] is a bus service geared to the high end and business travelers with on board attendant, on board food service and Internet connectivity. It travels between New York and Boston daily.

Super cheap buses

A cheaper group of bus companies, some of them known as the "Chinatown Bus", go to Boston, Washington, Philadelphia and a few other destinations, usually picking up and dropping off passengers in ethnic Chinese neighborhoods (though in Boston the buses stop at the main bus station). Fares listed are one-way unless otherwise noted:

Chinatown Buses

• The Fung Wah Bus [23], granddaddy of all Chinatown buses, with service to and from Boston at the corner of Canal and Bowery streets. $15. Departures: hourly M-Th 7AM-10PM, F-Su 7AM-11PM (4.5 hrs).
• The Lucky Star, competitor to Fung Wah.
• The Boston Deluxe [24], connecting New York with Boston and Hartford. $15.
• The Today's Bus [25] and Apex Bus service Washington D.C. ($20), Philadelphia ($12/20 round trip), Richmond ($40) and Atlanta ($105).

Other Companies

• The Vamoose Bus [26] to and from Bethesda, MD; Arlington (Rosslyn), VA; Boston, MA and Cambridge, MA. Pickup location is at 255 W. 31st St. at Penn Station & Madison Square Garden.
• The DC2NY [27] to and from Washington D.C.
• The Washington Deluxe [28] from Washington D.C.
• Goto Bus [29] - You can search several individual carriers through this site. Sometimes discounts are given from this site.
• Megabus[30] offers luxury bus service (reclining seats, in-seat tv, and wireless internet) at budget prices (varying from $1 to $14) from Boston, Buffalo, Toronto, Atlantic City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington D.C. Most buses (excluding their Atlantic City service) arrive and depart from the north side of W. 31st St. east of 8th Ave. next to Penn Station & Madison Square Garden.
• BoltBus[31] offers service from Boston, Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia; fares start at $1 when ordered well in advance. Buses stop at 33rd Street and 7th Avenue (to D.C.), Canal Street and 6th Avenue (to D.C. and Philadelphia), and 34th Street and 8th Avenue (to Philadelphia).

Parking in the city

Think twoce about driving in Manhattan. Traffic there is almost always congested, and parking is scarce and quite expensive (up to $40 per day.) If you park illegally you may get a $150 parking ticket; if towed you may have to pay $300 to get your car back. When entering New York from New Jersey, as well as with many bridges and tunnels within New York City, you will incur tolls (up to $10) [32] and associated traffic delays. Most New Yorkers don't even own cars, and driving from one attraction to another in Manhattan is all but unheard of. Driving to one of the stations served by the Metro North railroad, New Jersey Transit, or Long Island Railroad (see above) and taking the train in is a better option. There are often secure parking areas in some of these stations.

As a general rule, hotels in New York do not supply parking. The few that do will charge you handsomely for the privilege. It is suggested that you look at the following three websites:

• BestParking.com[33] (formerly NYC Garages [34]) is a free service that allows users to search and compare all daily and monthly rates and locations for parking facilities in Manhattan, NYC. Users can book free parking "Reservations" and "Rate Guarantees" at over 20% of parking garages (including Icon Parking Systems and Edison ParkFast). The website's instant rate comparison clearly displays the rates on a Google map and the interface is extremely user-friendly. Regular rates, early bird specials, weekend specials, night Specials, SUV/oversize/luxury vehicle rates, motorcycle rates, and all additional posted charges are included in their instant rate comparison. Cheap parking can be found in all areas of Manhattan and parking in New York City doesn't have to be expensive.

• IconParking.com[35] is a service where you can book your parking time (if you know it) by the block, date, time, and even choose which garage within the iconparking system has space and they MUST honor it. One traveler says, "I've gone into garages that have initially said they're full up and then I said I booked it online and they shrugged and honored it." A hint, when you book online with this company take the printout with you. Most times the attendants/valets will assume you know what you're talking about, but sometimes they want to see the printout. Also, when you pay, they may feign ignorance as to the price you were quoted online. This is another reason to print out the reservation. Utilizing this service, it is possible to pay $10 on a weekday for 8 hours of parking on John Street in the Financial district showing up at 10am and leaving at 6pm. If initially the valet says they don't have to honor that rate, be persistent and you should get it.

• ParkFast.com[36]. This site is for Edison Parkfast. The site isn't as feature-rich and you can't pick your hours or dates, but at least they have some basic rates and locations.

Get around

"Left luggage"

Note that, due to security concerns, there are very few left luggage, storage lockers, or coatcheck service at any New York train station. This includes Penn and Grand Central stations; however the Amtrak checked luggage point at Penn Station is still operating, but only for ticketed passengers. There are left luggage services in the Arrivals area of Terminals 1 and 4 at JFK Airport. The left luggage office in Terminal 4 is open 24 hours. There is also a luggage storage at Building 4 of JFK, which will require photo id. There is also a store in Manhattan J & S Rent-A-Locker, Schwartz Travel Services Located on 357 w 36th St., between 8th Ave and 9th Ave in Midtown, where you can store your baggage for $6 - $10 a day. Some hotels will store luggage for customers who have checked out of the hotel.

Most of Manhattan is laid out in a grid. Accounting for Manhattan North, which is the convention stating that the island of Manhattan is oriented exactly north to south (it's actually northeast to southwest), streets run south to north and avenues run east to west. This makes it relatively easy and straightforward to find your way. Streets are numbered (except in downtown Manhattan) and the numbering rises as you go north. Most avenues are numbered from East to West (so First Avenue is east of Second, etc.) below 59th Street. Building numbering on avenues starts at the south end of the avenue and rises as you move north. Above Washington Square, Fifth Avenue divides Manhattan into east and west; numbering starts at Fifth Avenue on each side (except where Central Park interrupts) and increases in either direction. Addresses west of Fifth are written as, for example, 220 W. 34th Street, while those east of Fifth are written as 220 E. 34 Street. However, for numbered streets below Washington Square (fortunately, there are only two, 3rd and 4th streets), Broadway divides the streets into East and West. Because of this dual-numbering system, it is always advisable to keep in mind the closest intersection to your destination (6th Avenue and 34th Street, Broadway and 51st, etc.). In Greenwich Village and downtown Manhattan (generally considered as below Houston (HOW-ston) Street), all bets are off as streets meander, dead-end and intersect themselves. Streets in Greenwich Village are particularly notorious for defying logic. For instance West 4th Street intersects with West 10th Street and West 12th Street, and you can stand on the corner of Waverly Place and Waverly Place. As a convenient guide to distance, there are 20 blocks per mile along the avenues (walking North/South). The average person can walk roughly 1 block per minute. Walking East/West on the streets, the blocks are generally much longer.

On foot

For shorter distances, there is no better way of getting around New York than hitting the sidewalk. If you use the subway or buses, you will almost certainly need to walk to and from stations or stops. In all areas of New York a traveler is likely to visit, all streets have wide, smoothly paved sidewalks. For long distances, walking is also fine and a great way to see the city.

Jaywalking is extremely common among New Yorkers, but can be extremely dangerous. If you cannot properly gauge the speed of oncoming cars it is recommended you wait for the walk signal. An average New Yorker typically jaywalks 10-15 times a day, so do not blindly follow one as they are quite adept at making split-second choices. If you do jaywalk, driving is on the right-hand side of the road on two-way streets so remember to look left to check for on-coming traffic on your side of the road. Be aware that most streets are one way, so you may have to look right. Most New Yorkers who know which streets go which way will only look in the direction traffic is coming from rather than looking in both directions. A useful mnemonic to remember which way streets (not avenues) go is "evens go east". This helps about 98% of the time. But beware of any bicyclists unlawfully going against the proper flow of vehicular traffic.

If you do not wish to jaywalk, be considerate of New Yorkers by not blocking them from crossing at an intersection while you are waiting for your signal.

MetroCard

The New York City Transit Authority issues MetroCards for using the bus and subway system in the city. While it is possible to pay for a bus using exact change (in coins) you must have a MetroCard to enter the subway system. Cards can be bought online, at stations (either from a vending machine or from a token booth), or at many grocery stores and newstands (look for a MetroCard sign on the store window). Information on types of MetroCards and fares can be found online at the Metrocard website. [37]

Which MetroCard is right for you? It depends on how long you plan to stay, how you intend to use the system, and how often you intend using the system. The base fare is $2 which you pay when you enter a bus or pass through a station turnstile for the first time. However, most MetroCards discount this fare:

• The Single Ride MetroCard available for $2 at stores and at MetroCard vending machines in stations. You cannot buy this card at a token booth.
• Pay-per-ride MetroCards are available from $4 to $100 at vending machines and token booths. Any purchase over $7 gives a 15% bonus (every $10 gives you an extra $1.50). Transfers between bus and subway are available. This is the best option if you are spending a few days in New York and plan on using public transportation intermittently.
• One day funpass available for $7.50 from stores and MetroCard vending machines (but not at token booths). Unlimited use of subways and buses from the time you buy the card till 3am of the next day. A great deal if you plan on using the transportation system heavily over a day.
• Seven day unlimited ride MetroCard available for $25 from token booths and vending machines and valid from the time you buy it to midnight of the seventh day. At under $3.60 a day, this is an amazing deal for anyone spending a week in the city. Even with moderate use of the transport system, you'll break even in five days.
• Thirty day unlimited ride MetroCard available for $81 and valid from the time you buy to midnight of the 30th day. If you pay by credit card, MTA will replace the card if you lose it.

By subway

The New York City subway is easily the best way to travel around. It may look grungy and dirty, but few New Yorkers will trade their 24 hour, extensive, and fairly reliable subway system for a better looking one. The much-feared subway crimes of the 70s and 80s are for the most part a thing of the past, and it is almost always completely safe. Just use common sense when traveling late at night alone and try to use heavily traveled stations.

Subway basics:

• Every line is identified by either a letter or a number. Ignore the colors; unless you restrict your subway use to the midtown area, relying on colors is a sure way to get lost.
• Uptown/downtown in Manhattan- Almost all lines in Manhattan go North/South and the direction is always clearly noted on the platforms and in train announcements. In general, 'Bronx Bound' and 'Queens Bound' are synonymous with uptown, while 'Brooklyn Bound' is synonymous with downtown. Station entrances will also indicate the direction (e.g., "uptown and the Bronx") so be careful when entering the station. If no direction is indicated, then you can use that entrance for both uptown as well as downtown tracks.
• Maps- A free subway map can be found online [38], or at staffed token booths, so do pick one up. Token booth attendants can also be very helpful in advising you which line to take to your destination. There is also a subway map [39] that has been overlaid on top of google maps. This version can show you exactly where the train stops (and entrances/exits for Manhattan). A useful map that finds the closest subway to any given address in New York City is available [40]. Alternatively, use HopStop.com [41] for directions on how to travel between two addresses in the city.
• Important lines in Manhattan:
  • The Lexington Avenue Line (4, 5, 6) are the only trains on the East Side above 23 St. Useful for the Metropolitan, Guggenheim, and other east side museums (any to 86th or the 6 to 77th). Also for the Statue of Liberty (4, 5 to Bowling Green), Chinatown (6 to Canal Street), and Yankee Stadium (4 to 161 St./Yankee Stadium).
  • The Seventh Avenue Line (1, 2, 3) serves Broadway above 42nd Street, and Seventh Avenue below 42nd Street. Useful for the West Village, Chelsea, and Tribeca neighborhoods as well as the Staten Island or Statue of Liberty ferries (1 to South Ferry) and Columbia University (the 1 to 116th).
  • The Eighth Avenue Line (A, C, E) serves Eighth Avenue between 14th and 116th streets, then St. Nicholas Av., Broadway, and Ft. Washington Av. starting at 125th St. in Harlem. Useful for the Natural History Museum (C to 81st), the west side of Central Park (C makes local stops on Central Park West), Cloisters Museum (A to 190th), JFK Airport (A to Howard Beach or E to Jamaica).
  • The Sixth Avenue Line (B, D, F, V) runs on 6th Av. from West 4th St. to 57th St. (or to 47th-50th Sts. for all but the F), and is useful for accessing the Museum of Modern Art, Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, and St. Patrick's Cathedral (47th-50th Sts.); and Coney Island (Stillwell Av.). Grand St. on the B and D is the best all-purpose stop for Chinatown. The D train also converges with the 8th Av. Line from 59th St./Columbus Circle to 145th St., and is useful for traveling to Harlem, or to Yankee Stadium (161 St./Yankee Stadium).
• Transfers- With a metrocard, you can transfer from subway to bus or bus to bus (but not to the same bus route) during a two hour period for free. You can transfer from one subway line to another for free as often as you like at designated transfer stations (any station where you can cross over to a different line/direction without exiting through a turnstile). While the PATH system accepts payment by metrocard, no free transfers are available.
• Local/Express- Some lines are express, i.e., trains don't stop at every station so make sure you get on the right train. Local and express lines use different tracks and there is always a local line accompanying the express. For example, the 2, 3 are Express between 96th Street and Chambers Street in Manhattan and the 1 runs as a local alongside.
• Metro Cards- You must have a metro card to enter the subway system but, once you enter, you can spend the rest of your life there as long as you don't leave the system. Most stations have either (or both) a metro card machine or a token booth where you can buy cards. Single rides are $2 (single ride cards must be purchased at a machine).
• Swiping Technique/Etiquette- To pass through the turnstile you must slide the card with the logo facing you. The cards are designed so that experienced users can swipe through without breaking stride. If you stand at the turnstyle and try to jerk the card through the reader you will likely fail. The trick is to hold the card out to your side in a fixed position and walk it through as if it were coming in for a landing. Beware of failure, though. It can be quite discomforting to walk into the bar if your swipe failed (you'll know it succeeded because the display will flash "Go"). If you've never used a Metrocard before it is best to ensure that there is no one behind you while you perfect your technique as a huge line can form very quickly.
• The off-hour/weekend mess- Be aware that while most of the subway is available for use 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, trains take on a life of their own during the weekends and late nights. Some trains don't run with other trains picking up the slack. Express trains often run local and some entrances to the subway are closed. For a detailed look at what exactly each train line does during the different hours of the day, consult the individual line maps located on the MTA website [42]. Track work notices are also clearly posted at stations so, if you expect to be out late, look out for them. Before leaving on weekends, check the MTA website [43] for diversions that might get you sidetracked. It's better to know before getting lost somewhere. Remember: If you do feel confused, ask someone for help. And, that there's always more than one way to get somewhere, especially here.

By bus

There are many different bus lines, which provide good transport away from the subway. Bus lines are identified by letters followed by numbers. The letters indicates the borough in which the line mostly operates (M=Manhattan; Bx=Bronx; B=Brooklyn; Q=Queens; S=Staten Island). Bus maps for each borough can be found at the MTA website [44].

Even in Manhattan, with its dense subway network, buses can often be the best way of making a cross-town (i.e. east to west or vice versa) journey. And outside peak hours, a ride by bus from the tip of Manhattan at Battery Park to Midtown is a good and cheap way of taking in the sights.

Buses are particularly useful when going across Central Park (e.g., going from the Metropolitan Museum to the Museum of Natural History). The buses that traverse the park are the M66, M72, M79, M86, M96, and M106. These generally operate on or around 66th, 72nd, 79th, 86th, 96th, and 106th Streets, respectively; however, the eastbound M66 runs on 65th St on the West Side and 67th St. east of Madison Av., the westbound M66 runs on 68th St. on the East Side east of Madison Av., the M79 uses 81st St. to go around the Museum of Natural History on the West Side, and the M106 crosses the park at 96th/97th street and travels the same route as the M96 on the West Side.

When boarding a bus with a MetroCard, insert the card into the card slot in the top of the farebox by the driver. The farebox will swallow the card, read it and return it to you. You should see the front of the MetroCard and the magnetic strip will be facing you and on the right side as you stick it in the machine. It will be vertically oriented. This is different from entering the subway where you don’t stick it in as much, but slide it horizontally oriented through the swipe device, with the front toward you and the magnetic strip on the bottom.

The fareboxes also accept coins but not paper money as they are unable to read paper money, and even so, bills would be shredded in the "fare collection vacuum". As a safety precaution, drivers do not handle money. Change is not given, so exact fares must be paid. The fareboxes accept dollar coins, and will also add up your pennies, even though it says not to use pennies. Rarely used half-dollar coins cannot be used because the coin slots on the fareboxes are not big enough.

By ferry

Ferries provide an interesting alternative to getting around New York. The most famous ferry is the Staten Island Ferry [45], running from the tip of Manhattan at Battery Park to Staten Island. The ferry carries passengers and bicycles only, runs every 15 minutes during rush hours, and is free. As it gives a really good view of the Statue of Liberty and New York Harbor on its way, this is a very popular trip for visitors. Ride on the starboard (right facing forward) side of the ferry from Manhattan and the port side from Staten Island for the best views (to the west).

Most of the other ferries you will see are operated by New York Waterway [46], connect the city with the New Jersey Hudson River Waterfront and are not free. Inquire as to fares before boarding.

New York Water Taxi[47] runs ferries between points within Manhattan, with some connections to Brooklyn and New Jersey. Their boats are painted to look like taxis.

By taxi

Yellow Cabs- Real NYC taxis are yellow, have a metal seal on the hood ("medallion"), a light with a taxi number on the roof, a meter for billing, stickers on the windshield for various licenses, special taxi license plates, and a divider in the car. If only the medallion number on the roof is lit, the taxi is available for hire. If the medallion number on the roof is not lit or the off-duty sign on the roof is lit, the taxi is not available for hire. However, sometimes the taxi will stop for you even if the off-duty sign is lit, usually if you are going in the same direction as the taxi driver to turn the cab in after his shift, so if you are desperate, it's worth a try to hail it. The meter starts at $2.50, and then $.40 for each 1/5 mile afterwards. There is a night surcharge of $0.50 (8pm to 6am) and a rush hour surcharge of $1.00 (4pm-8pm M-F). A tip of 10-20% is expected and passengers must pay all tolls. "Yellow cabs" cruise in most of Manhattan and are available at dispatcher lines at airports, but are harder to find in the other four boroughs. Some cabs accept credit cards for payment and all will be required to do so by the end of 2008.

Info on fares, flat fares, group rides and rules is online at the NYC.gov website [48]. An estimation of the fare for a particular ride can be obtained at the World Taxi Meter website[49].

Livery or Black Car- Known as car services or livery cabs, these cars may only be called by phone, are flat rate rather than metered (ask for the fare before getting in), and are not allowed to cruise the street or airports for fares. Their license plates will say either "Livery" or "TLC" on the bottom. Since yellow cabs are hard to come in the outer boroughs, limos are particularly useful for getting to the airport (your hotel can arrange one or look up the yellow pages). In some areas, livery cabs can be flagged on the street. Though this is technically illegal (the cabbie, not you, can get into trouble), it is useful in upper Manhattan and the outer boroughs and is accepted practice. Negotiate the fare before you get inside. A tip of 10-20% is expected and passengers must pay all tolls.

Tipping- Tips of 10-20% are expected in both yellow cabs as well as livery cabs. A simple way of computing the tip is to add 10% of the fare and round up from there. Thus, if the meter reads $6.20, you pay $7 and if the meter reads $6.50, you pay $8. Always tip more for better service (for example, if the cabbie helps you with your bags or stroller). Don't tip at all if the service is lousy (for example, if the cabbie refuses to turn on the AC on a hot day). For livery cabs, tip 10-20% depending on the quality of the service but you don't need to tip at all if you hail the cab on the street and negotiate the fare in advance (leave an extra dollar or two anyway!).

All licensed taxis and sedan limousines are authorized to take 3 passengers in the backseat and 1 in the front seat for a total of 4. However, some of the newer minivan and SUV yellow cabs can seat more passengers and may take more than four passengers (even though the licensed limit is posted in the cab). Larger than sedan limousines can be reserved, also useful for airport trips with lots of luggage, by calling any of the dozens of companies in the yellow pages.

Be wary of unlicensed cars (known as 'gypsy cabs') cruising for passengers, especially near the airports. While drivers may claim to offer you a cheaper rate than an actual taxi, your chances of actually getting this rate (not to mention getting to your destination safely and quickly) are slim. If you are in doubt, ask an airport staffer for help finding a cab or cabstand. Major airports have taxi information cards for passengers.

For all cabs, you pay the tolls for bridges, tunnels and highways, even if the cab has an E-ZPass to use the express toll lane. Be careful of being overcharged by cabbies for toll crossings—on some bridges and tunnels (like the Queens-Midtown Tunnel) rates are not posted in plain view. So, a crossing which actually cost the cab driver $4 is easily passed onto the unsuspecting passenger as a $5 charge. Outside the city, other than flat fare destinations and Newark Airport, meter rates are doubled (when going to Westchester or Nassau County).

There are also bizarre van and shuttle services in different parts of the city. You will have to ask where it is going and how much it costs. Usually, you will see people lining up and some mysterious van will appear and they will board. There are services between Chinatown and Queens (you won’t have to make any transfers if it goes where you need to go!), and also there are separate services in Brooklyn, and Queens. Many of these services are branded as "Dollar Vans" (actually costing $1.25), and follow major bus routes. One should use good judgment before using these vans to prevent getting cheated out of money, or something considerably worse than losing money.

By car

A car is not only unnecessary but also inadvisable; street parking is practically nonexistent near crowded areas and tourist attractions, and garage parking ranges from very expensive to plainly extortionate. Note that a large percentage of city cab drivers are aggressive drivers. Traffic can be mind-blowing for the uninitiated, especially in midtown and around rush hours. Manhattan is compact and has excellent public transportation. While this is somewhat less true of the other boroughs (particularly Queens and Staten Island, the only boroughs to be developed with auto and expressway in mind), visitors to New York do not need a car and indeed will be hampered by having one. ) (One exception can be blamed on Robert Moses: certain outer-borough parkways are perhaps best seen by car, although this is best done outside of peak periods, as that is when the parkways get clogged by rush hour traffic.)

Hasičský vůz

Traffic in New York City roughly follows a hierarchy of precedence, which is unwise to challenge. Fire engines, ambulances, and police cruisers are at the top of the heap, followed by other public service vehicles such as buses, road crews, and sanitation trucks. Beneath them are the cabbies and the delivery trucks. Below those are the locals and the "bridge & tunnel" crowd, but even they will devour you alive if you don't know what you're doing. Note also that driving a car with out-of-state license plates (save for perhaps New Jersey, though that may be a stretch) will instantly mark you as an outsider, sometimes resulting in other drivers being more aggressive around you than they would with a local. Suffice it to say, driving in New York is not for the timid, fearful, or otherwise emotionally fragile.

The major car rental agencies have offices throughout the city. Smaller agencies are also well represented. Be warned that car rentals in New York are generally more expensive than elsewhere in the United States, and frequently require a deposit of up to $500, if you do not have a credit card. Insurance rates also tend to be higher in New York than in most other cities.

While cheap or free parking can be found in some parts of New York at some times, parking is gener

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