Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
However, when you have to get somewhere fast, cabs are efficient and less of a worry. Be
aware that most cabs only accommodate four people at most and should be avoided at rush
hour (especially if you're trying to get across town during heavy traffic).
Insider's Tip
: Stand at the edge of the road with your arm out waiting for a cab. Make sure
to lock eyes on the cabs that are available. The only cabs that are available are when their
rooftop number is illuminated (it means they do not have someone in the cab) and their
off-duty sign is not.
Insider's Tip #2
: Black cabs are always more expensive. Try to take a yellow cab if you
are looking or you might end up paying 3x the normal fare.
Mobile Transportation Apps
Apps like Uber and Lyft are causing yellow taxicabs to worry. Instead of standing at the
edge of the street waving your hand like a maniac, you're able to request a cab. Uber and
Lyft both tell you the estimated time of arrival, car to look for, and allow payment through
your phone. Beats waiting in the pouring rain for a free taxi!
Ferrys
There are lots of ferry services all around the city, although they go unnoticed by most tour-
ists. Most locals don't even use them unless they're trying to head to Governor's Island for
the day or find a way to get to IKEA from the lower tip of Manhattan. (Insider's Tip: it
involves a ferry.) Everyone should take a ferry in New York City. If you want to mark it off
your bucket list, the Staten Island Ferry is free and offers incredible sights of the Financial
District, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and Staten Island.
The more interesting and probably more useful approach (assuming you're not visiting
your Italian in-laws that live on Staten Island), is to try one of the ferries that runs between
Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn. NY Waterway's East River Ferry will take you from
34th Street in Manhattan to Williamsburg, DUMBO, and Wall Street.
Hudson River Waterway
The NY Waterway runs a water ferry from four stops in Manhattan, as well as stops in
Jersey City, Hoboken, Weekhawken, and Edgewater all along the Hudson River. The NY
Waterway also provides stops on the East River in Brooklyn and Long Island City. Com-
