sign in sign up
<<
Home , 116th Street (Manhattan), Grand Street Shuttle, JFK Express, M86 (New York City bus), MYmta, New York City Subway

The MTA and (C)U: A (Nearly) Comprehensive Guide to Navigating By The ‘19-’20 Days on Campus Interns

The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) is the organization responsible for all NYC public transit, ​ ​ but most riders interact with it by using the subway.

The Subway System is one of the largest in the world, containing over 665 miles of mainline track, 472 stations, and shuttling over 5.7 million people on an average weekday! Beginning operation in 1904, it’s also one of the world’s oldest and most complicated.

As a new inhabitant of New York City, learning how to get around is an essential skill, so here are a few tips and pointers to help keep you moving in the right direction!

BOROUGHS New York City is divided into five distinct regions, or ‘Boroughs’. They are: , ​ , , , and . ​ ​ ​

1 Manhattan - This island has most of the tourist sites and Columbia is located near the ​ mid-top on the of the island. (Yes, it is an island.) Queens - Your first interaction with New York City might be as you touch down at JFK or ​ LaGuardia Airport. Queens is home to both airports and the site of the 1939 and 1964 World’s fairs. Brooklyn - Famous for its bridge and neighborhoods such as Williamsburg and DUMBO. ​ Some say it is home to the city’s best pizza, but decide for yourself. The Bronx - Home to , the New York Botanical Garden, and the . ​ Staten Island - The “greenest” borough with 170 parks, the ferry here is free and another ​ ​ island borough.

MANHATTAN GRID SYSTEM In the early 19th century, as New York City was growing from its original site in , it was decided to standardize the roads and plan the rest of the island for development. This resulted in the Commissioner’s plan of 1811, which gave the city its distinctive grid pattern, and also vastly improved the ease of navigation in Manhattan.

On the new plan, which is still in use today, avenues run North and South (“Uptown” and ​ ​ ​ ​ “”) and are numbered from East to West. Streets run east to west (or ​ ​ ​ ​ “Crosstown”), running from 1st street, which is above (pronounced “House-ton”) ​ ​ street, all the way to 220th street in Manhattan. For reference, Columbia is located on .

SUBWAY LINES The system has lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and A, C, E, B, D, F, M, N, Q, ​ ​ ​ R, W, J, Z, G, L lines, along with three shuttles (Denoted as “S”). ​ ​ ​

Fun Fact: Why are there lettered lines and numbered lines? These are remnants of ​ history, when the subway was actually operated by several different companies before the city bought them out and unified them.

The numbered lines and lettered lines both have different track gauges and can run different sized - pay attention to the shape of the subway cars when you ride!

Why are the lettered lines not in alphabetical order? That’s because here we’ve arranged them according to their line groups, or on the map. (Note: New Yorkers don’t refer to trains by their color, just their number.) ​

The line groups, along with where they roughly travel in Manhattan are: ● 1, 2, 3 () - Runs below 7th Ave and above ● 4, 5, 6 () - Runs below Lexington Ave ● 7 (Purple) - Runs from Hudson Yards, to under 42nd St then on to Queens

2 ● A, C, E () - Runs under 8th Ave ● B, D, F, M () - Runs under 6th Ave, then goes to Queens or 8th Ave ● N, Q, R, W () - Runs under Broadway below Times Square ● J, Z (Brown) - Mostly Brooklyn ● L (Grey) - Runs under Houston St, then goes to Brooklyn ● G (Green) - Entirely Brooklyn and Queens ● Shuttles (Grey) - Times Square to Grand Central; the other two are Queens “Local” lines stop at each and every stop on the line. “Express” trains skip stations. In ​ ​ ​ ​ certain areas, lines can switch “local” and “express”.

For example, the 2 runs express in Manhattan between and Chambers street, but runs local above 96th and in the Bronx, and local below Chambers and in Brooklyn.

Other trains can switch between local and express service based on the time of the day, such as the 7 and 6, which usually transfer to express during , and for those trains express service is denoted by a Diamond surrounding the train line number on the side of the train instead of the usual circle.

You can tell where trains are express and local by reading the subway map.

3 4 READING THE SUBWAY MAP As you’ve noticed, the lines above are denoted by the colors on the map. Lines with the same color usually start and end in different places, but share a large majority of their track with the other lines in its color. When multiple lines are together in the section of track where they share the same path, one line is local and the rest are express. Line starts and ends are denoted by a filled in square. For example, take the lines in Red, the 1, 2, 3. The 1 train starts at at the ​ ​ southern tip of Manhattan, and ends at /242nd St in the Bronx. The 2 starts at Flatbush Ave/Brooklyn College in Brooklyn and ends at Wakefield/241st S in the Bronx. The 3 starts at New Lots Ave in Brooklyn and ends at 148th St in Manhattan. However, they ALL travel on the same track from Chambers St station in lower Manhattan, to 96th St further uptown.

On this stretch of the line, if you look at the map, you’ll notice that there are different colored circles at each station. Black circles mean that only local trains stop there, and white circles mean that all trains stop there - these are stations where you can switch from express to local, and also change colored lines if other colored lines stop there. You do not need to pay ​ another fare to switch trains at the same station. Also, under the name of each station on ​ the map, you can see the lines that stop there denoted in smaller numbers and letters.

METROCARDS, FARES, AND TRANSFERS Bus and Subway travel in New York City operate using a Metrocard. This is a yellow plastic ​ ​ card that you can fill with money and refill when it runs low. You can purchase them at any subway station, at the airports, and at some shops and convenience stores in the city.

There is usually a $1 purchasing fee if bought from subway kiosks. At a kiosk, you use the touchscreen to add value to a card or add time to it. There are multiple-length unlimited cards (from 7 days to 30 days) and one that refills itself. It is recommended you purchase a normal unless you plan to use the subway very frequently (as in more than two/three times daily). A single subway fare costs $2.75 and grants you a swipe at a subway turnstile or a ride on a NYC bus. With that same swipe, you can switch from a subway to a bus, a bus to a subway, or a bus to another bus within two hours of the swipe (this is useful if you want to travel somewhere that is not necessarily close to a subway stop).

Recently the MTA has been transitioning to the OMNY tap-to-ride system, where you tap your phone (if mobile pay is enabled) or any tap credit/debit cards on a card reader at the turnstile instead of swiping a metrocard. Some lines currently do not support OMNY use, but all stations accept . (Note: A number of Columbia initiatives work to provide students with Metrocards!)

5 RIDING THE SUBWAY When you arrive at a subway entrance, the first thing you need to do is read the sign and make sure that it has both: the train line you wish to take, and the entrance services the direction you need. Certain subway entrances of local train stops have entrances that only allow you to take one direction - you cannot cross the tracks to the other side at those stations, and entrances for the opposite direction will be found on the opposite side of the street.

Once you enter, swipe your metrocard or tap in through the turnstile. Then, look up and on the walls for signs that will direct you to the platform for the trains and the direction you want (if the entrance services multiple directions). Since most lines travel through multiple boroughs, direction of travel are given with the direction in Manhattan along with the borough at the end of the line. For example, “Downtown and Brooklyn” is heading South, and “Uptown and the Bronx” is heading North for any trains on the 1, 2, 3, lines.

Stations that have multiple train lines will have them on platforms at different levels - don’t worry, there is adequate signage for you to find them. Just look out for the signs and follow them. Once you’re at a platform, just wait for the train.

If it is only a local stop, it’s very straightforward. However if there is a stop with an express and local train, look at the signage up at the top of the platform. Usually, when facing the direction of train traffic, the express train is to your left and the local is to your right. You can tell what line and direction a train is traveling also by looking at its front and sides. Each train carries signage with its line and direction - however, direction on trains is signaled by the line terminal of the direction it is traveling. So, a Downtown 1 would say “ 1 South Ferry” while an Uptown 1 would say “ 1 Van Cortlandt Park - 242nd St”. Train announcements say line, direction (uptown/downtown), and terminus.

6 SUBWAY TIPS ● Always use your best judgement when riding. ● Let all passengers off the train before you begin to board. ● If you are able, give your seat up to an elderly, pregnant, or differently-abled passenger. ● If standing, hold on to something, but leave space for others to grab the poles as well. ● Do not travel in between subway cars while the train is in motion. ● If a subway car is empty and the others next to it are full, the car is empty for a reason. ● Feel free at stations to switch to a different car if the car is uncomfortable. ● Most people want to be left alone, and most people will leave you alone on the subway as well. ● Move down the platform before boarding a train - cars are emptier there and you’re more likely to find a seat. ● Express trains DO save time, especially if you’re heading below 72nd St from Columbia. ● If you’re traveling a fair distance, move near the center of the car and back towards the doors when you approach your stop. ● Do not be afraid to use multiple lines to reach your destination. ● Download the MyMTA app to keep up with service changes and subway and bus arrival times. ● Use bus transfers for greater accessibility to the city. ● Make sure to bring a charger or external battery if you are going for a long day in the city. ● It’s , NOT Grand Central Station. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Stand behind the yellow line, and stand clear of the closing doors.

USING THE BUS - BASIC INFORMATION The bus system exists, too! You can tell what route a bus is traveling by looking at the LED display on its sides, back, and front, similar to a subway car.

Bus stations are denoted by a pole with bus route numbers, route maps, and schedules on them. Some stops have shelters next to them.

SBS busses are different from local busses in that they usually have two cars connected by ​ an open gangway, and you must swipe your metrocard at a kiosk at the boarding station before boarding and keep the white receipt it prints as proof of payment. Local busses only require you to swipe upon boarding next to the driver. Most SBS busses are located near subway stops, for ease of connection and integration with the subway network. Busses load and unload on the side of the street in which traffic is traveling the same direction they are. When you need to get off the bus, pull on the yellow cord near the windows or push the buttons on the aisle poles to request a stop. Do this before you reach your stop but after you depart from the stop before it. Exit through the mid or rear doors for local busses, as people load on the front. For SBS, you can board and disembark at any door. Doors do not open automatically - you must push on the doors where marked by the green or yellow tape in order for them to open.

7 TRAVELING FROM CAMPUS - POPULAR DESTINATIONS ● LaGuardia Int’l Airport: Take the -SBS bus to Columbia - it drops you off right in front of ​ ​ the 116th St. gates. Travel time ~45-60 minutes ● JFK Int’l Airport: Take the 1 Downtown to , and take the E Uptown to ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ –Archer Avenue–JFK Airport, then transfer to the JFK AirTrain (that costs ​ an extra $7.75). Travel time ~ 1.5 - 2 hours ● Times Square: Take the 1 Downtown to 96th St, then transfer to the 2 or 3, and get off at ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Times Square - 42nd St. Travel time ~ 15 minutes ​ ● Grand Central Terminal: Same as Times Square, but then take the Shuttle to Grand Central ​ ​ ​ Terminal. Travel Time ~ 20 minutes ​ ● Hudson Yards: Same as Times Square, but then transfer to the 7 to Hudson Yards - 34th St. ​ ​ ​ Travel Time ~ 20 minutes ● : Same as Times Square. Walk along East towards 5th Avenue. You can’t miss Bryant Park. Travel Time ~ 20-25 minutes. ● : Same as Times Square. Exit the station, head north and go through Times Square, then head East on one block to 6th Ave. Head North and you should see the Radio City Marquee. Travel Time ~ 20-25 Minutes ● The Met 5th Ave: Take the M4 bus Downtown and get off at the Met (Can’t miss it). Travel ​ ​ Time ~ 35 minutes ○ Alternatively: Take the 1 Downtown to 84th St. Transfer to the -SBS bus and get off at ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ the Met. Travel Time ~ 35 minutes ● The and : Take the 1 Downtown to 96th St. ​ ​ Transfer to the 2 or 3 Downtown to 34th St - Penn Station. Travel time ~ 25 minutes ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ● The World Trade Center: Take the 1 Downtown to 96th St. Transfer to the 2 or 3 Downtown to ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Chambers St. Transfer back to the 1 Downtown to WTC - Cortlandt. Travel time ~ 40 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ minutes

8