Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Lines
have assigned colors on subway maps and trains—red for
the 1, 2, 3 line; green for the 4, 5, 6 trains; and so on—but nobody
ever refers to them by color. Always refer to them by number or let-
ter when asking questions. Within Manhattan, the distinction
between different numbered trains that share the same line is usually
that some are express and others are local.
Express trains
often skip
about three stops for each one that they make; express stops are indi-
cated on subway maps with a white (rather than solid) circle. Local
stops are usually about 9 blocks apart.
Directions
are almost always indicated using “uptown” (north-
bound) and “downtown” (southbound), so be sure to know what
direction you want to head in. The outsides of some subway
entrances are marked
UPTOWN ONLY
or
DOWNTOWN ONLY
; read care-
fully, as it's easy to head in the wrong direction. Once you're on the
platform, check the signs overhead to make sure that the train you're
waiting for will be traveling in the right direction. If you do make a
mistake, it's a good idea to wait for an express station, such as 14th
Street or 42nd Street, so you can get off and change to the other
direction without paying again.
The days of graffiti-covered cars are gone, but the stations—and
an increasing number of trains—are not as clean as they could be.
Trains are air-conditioned (move to the next car if yours isn't),
For More Bus & Subway Information
For additional transit information, call the Metropolitan Tran-
sit Authority's
MTA/New York City Transit's Travel Informa-
tion Center
at
&
718/330-1234.
Extensive automated
information is available at this number 24 hours a day, and
travel agents are on hand to answer your questions and pro-
vide directions daily from 6am to 9pm. Customers who don't
speak English can call
&
718/330-4847.
For online informa-
tion that's always up-to-the-minute, visit
www.mta.nyc.ny.us
.
To request system maps, call the
Map Request Line
at
&
718/330-3322
(although realize that recent service changes
may not yet be reflected on printed maps). Riders with dis-
abilities should direct inquiries to
&
718/596-8585;
hearing-
impaired riders can call
&
718/596-8273.
For MetroCard
information, call
&
212/METROCARD
(638-7622) weekdays
from 7am to 11pm, weekends 9am to 5pm, or go online to
www.mta.nyc.ny.us/metrocard
.
Tips
