Traveling in New York, pt. 2

Dave commented on my last post about travel, and I want to clarify something. Traveling from the Bronx to Coney on the subway would take as long as a flight from Manhattan to Jacksonville. My advice is to skip it altogether. Not much going on there but Tottono's Pizza and Nathan's Hotdogs, and you can get both in Manhattan. Share a cab with friends if you want to ride the Cyclone. No rush though - it's a landmark now so they can not tear it down.

Traveling around New York City is so much more than reaching a destination. It is entertainment. Every time you get on the train, something new happens. Beyond the classic change mongering and the occasionally believable cry for help, the subway offers some pretty decent performances. At the going rate for comedy, dance and live music in this city, I often find myself wishing I had more change in my pocket. Some of them are legitimately talented, and many times it is no coincidence.

For travel in Manhattan, the subway is king. You can get almost anywhere quickly and at least take the edge off a cab ride. Broadway at 125th to E. Houston is around $40. Yikes. The busses, often over looked or under appreciated, can be a real treat, too. The tradeoff is that people can talk on their phones up there, so watch out for people screaming on their commute home about whatever tragedy befell them that day.

In Brooklyn, it is almost always quicker to find a good bus route than getting on the subway, and they run more frequently at high traffic times just like the metro. Plus, you get to see more than the abundant (and tasteful) graffiti lining the railways, and you learn more about New York. The first time I took a bus over to Park Slope from our apartment in Prospect Heights I was delighted to learn how close we were to the Target where I do most of my shopping. When the weekend hits and MTA starts changing scheduled service on every line, it is nice to have some consistency in the busses. Just do not plan on relying on them to be on time, especially if it is cold out. Amber and I learned that the hard way last weekend.

Get a real map. Are you moving here or visiting for an extended period of time? Get something other than a rail map. It is easy to operate as a tourist with MTA maps because they layout the city so that you can see it logically. However, what the maps manage in making the subways "user-friendly" is at the sacrifice of scale. The first time you go off your familiar route and end up outside, you will have no idea where you are or how easy it might be to get back on track. For example, walking east to west on 42nd street between lines is no problem, but on the map it looks like miles. Conversely, if you find yourself in Chelsea on the A-C, you have a long way to walk no matter where you are going and you will find yourself wanting to walk to the Hudson and jump in, only to find that the river is also too far to walk to.

When do you get a cab? If you can afford it, take them whenever it seems easier. They are quick and fun (who needs the roller coaster at Coney?), and you can get a good deal if you travel in groups. Traveling east to west is tough in the city (unless you are at 14th street), so consider a cab if you need to get across town. If it is just you, try busses before you flag a cab down. Make sure you have a metrocard or exact change, though. $2.25 in quarters is no joke. Car services are a great option for airport travel, but cabs also have flat rates between Brooklyn and Manhattan. You can rarely count on finding a cab randomly in the outer borroughs (aka anything by Manhattan), so plan on calling one if you need it. At that point, it is probably more worth getting a car service and negotiating the price ahead of time. You will save money and it is definitely a smoother ride.

No matter my destination, I always do my best to enjoy the ride. New Yorkers spend so much time commuting, mostly underground, and we have to find a way to make that time meaningful.

Friends who live here already, correct me where I am wrong and share your favorite subway story. I want to hear them.