Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Traffic control
Center
Staten Island Ferry
Right
Traffic signs
Getting Around
The Street Plan
Above Greenwich
Village, Manhattan is
laid out on a straight
grid plan, with the
avenues running to the
north and south, and the
streets crossing east to
west. All are one-way,
alternating the direction
with each block, except
for Park Avenue, which
runs both ways. 5th
Avenue is the dividing
line between the East
and West sides.
Subway Routes
Subways run north
and south up and down
the city on Lexington
Avenue, 6th Avenue, 7th
Avenue/ Broadway, and
8th Avenue. The N, R, E,
F and W trains to Queens
run east to west, crossing
Manhattan. A free copy of
the current subway map
is available at any station
booth. d Passenger
information:
718 330 1234
• www.mta.info
stands are good places
to look for a cab.
d
For
taxi complaints: 311
Car rentals
Rentals offices are
found throughout the city;
drivers must be over 25,
and have a valid license
and major credit card.
Weekends are heavily
booked, so phone in ad-
vance. d
Hertz: 800 654
3131
•
Avis: 800 331 1212
• National: 800 227 7368
•
Budget: 800 527 0700
Parking Rules
and Penalties
Street parking is not
available midtown and is
scarce elsewhere. Some
avenues have curb meters
allowing 15- to 60-minute
stays; overstaying means
a ticket or having your
car towed away, both of
which are extremely
expensive. Side streets
have “alternate side”
regulations banning cars,
during certain hours and
on alternate days, from
parking on alternate
sides of the street.
Bus Routes
Manhattan buses run
on every north-south
artery except on Park and
West End avenues. The
most useful crosstown
buses run on 96th, 86th,
79th, 67th, 57th, 49/50th,
42nd, 34th, 23rd, and 14th
streets. Route numbers
are posted on a lighted
strip above the front
windshield. Free maps are
available on most buses.
Finding an
Address
To locate the nearest
cross street for avenue
addresses in Manhattan,
drop the last digit of the
street number, divide by
2 and add these key
numbers:
1st Avenue
3
2nd Avenue
3
3rd Avenue
10
8th Avenue
9
The Metrocard
Metrocards are sold
in subways and in shops
displaying the sign and are
good for subways and
buses. Each ride deducts
one $2 fare from the card;
transfers within two hours
are free on buses or sub-
ways. Weekly passes for
unlimited travel cost $21.
Lexington Avenue
22
Madison Avenue
27
For further address
formulas, check
the Yellow Pages.
Ferries and
Water Taxis
New York Waterways
ferries connect Manhattan
with New Jersey and pro-
vide transportation to New
York Yankee and Mets
baseball games. Water
taxis run from East 90th
Street Pier to Pier 84.
d
For ferry schedules
:
800
533 3779
•
Staten Island
ferry information: see p59
•
Water taxi information:
www.nywatertaxi.com
Traffic Signs
Traffic lights show
red for stop, yellow for
caution, and green for
go for vehicles, and spell
out “walk” and “don't
walk” for pedestrians.
The “don't walk” sign
blinks when the lights
are about to change;
given the aggressive
traffic, it's wise not to
attempt to beat the light.
Taxi Know-how
Manhattan yellow
taxis can be hailed
anywhere you spy one.
Lights atop the cab go on
when the car is available,
or to show that the driver
is off-duty. Hotel cab
163
