NYC Metro ?'s

[smacky1]

I am headed to NYC in a few weekends and was wondering if anyone could give me advice as to how much to put on a metro card. I am planning on using airtran to LIRR to Penn Station, plus using the subway for sightseeing. What is the fare for a subway ride? Can I use the metro card for LIRR, or is there a seperate ticket? Thanks.

 

[Forevryoung]

I am headed to NYC in a few weekends and was wondering if anyone could give me advice as to how much to put on a metro card. I am planning on using airtran to LIRR to Penn Station, plus using the subway for sightseeing. What is the fare for a subway ride? Can I use the metro card for LIRR, or is there a seperate ticket? Thanks.

You can't use the metro card for the LIRR and it costs extra to buy your ticket on the train so make sure you do it at the super easy kiosks at the station

I don't know how much you should put on the card but count how many subway trips you will be taking and multiply it by $2... you don't get a discount for putting more money on the card.

PS everyone in your party has to have their OWN metro card

Any more questions?

 

[emma'smom]

You can't use the metro card for the LIRR and it costs extra to buy your ticket on the train so make sure you do it at the super easy kiosks at the station

I don't know how much you should put on the card but count how many subway trips you will be taking and multiply it by $2... you don't get a discount for putting more money on the card.

PS everyone in your party has to have their OWN metro card

Any more questions?

I believe that you do get a discount for buying a daily pass (fun pass for 7.00) or a seven day or thirty day unlimited metrocard because you can use them over and over for the designated time period. So, if you plan to ride 4 rides or more, than a Fun Pass makes sense for the day.

Also, all the years I lived in NYC, we've often shared one card if we were just deducting one ride at a time (not using an unlimited ride card). I slide and go through the turnstile (deducts one fare) and pass it back to dh to slide again (deducts 2nd fare).

 

[smacky1]

Thanks for the advice. Is it much shorter to take the LIRR or is the subway the same time. We will not have luggage so that is not a problem. I am under the impression that LIRR is a nicer, shorter ride.

 

[fac]

you can also pay $10 for 6 rides. I think you can use the card within a year.

 

[Mary Anne]

Where are you coming from that you're using the LIRR - The LIRR and the subway are very different and if you're coming from Long Island you need to take that INTO the city and then use the Subway to get around. If you are in Queens or Brooklyn, don't bother with the LIRR just do the subway's much easier.

 

[Mary Anne]

Oh are you coming into the airports... then I'd skip the LIRR and just do public transportation. What airport are you coming in to?

 

[smacky1]

Sorry, I am flying into JFK. Thanks again for all your help. I am a small town girl and nervous about using the subway and getting confused.

 

[MrsNick]

Smacky, if you are worried about using the subway from the airport, you can:

1) take a cab for $35 (unless it went up again) + tolls + tip.
2) take a blue supershuttle for like $15 in one direction. Roundtrip I think costs slightly less than two one way trips.
website for fare quote:
http://www.supershuttle.com/FareQuotes/(lydwdzmlo1d52f45eunzzc45)/ServiceQuote.aspx

For cost savings and convenience, I think the supershuttle might be your best bet. What section of Manhattan are you headed to?

Once you are in Manhattan using the subway system is pretty easy. Use the 1/9 (local) 2/3 (express) to go uptown and downtown on the West Side. Use the 6 (local) and the 4/5 (express) to go uptown and downtown on the East Side. Use the S train (shuttle) to go crosstown at 42nd St., or one of the city buses to go crosstown at other points. (Crosstown means to go east or west, perpendicular to uptown or downtown). You could also use city buses to go uptown and downtown.

Also, with your metro card, you can use it for subway, and it is good for one free transfer. For example, I want to go from Times Square to Met Museum of Art. I could grab the 1/9 uptown to 86th st. and transfer to a crosstown bus for free using the same metrocard (as long as the transfer occurs w/i two hours of you getting on the subway). The two hour rule is very useful if you have a reason to be in one neighborhood (like for lunch) on the way to another. Love the freebies.

 

[smacky1]

Thanks MrsNick. It sounds confusing to me now, but I am printing out your reply and I am sure it will make more sense once I am there. We are staying in Time Square.

 

[BubblPopElectrc]

I just wanted to second the person who said that each person should have their own card. I've seen people try to use the same card and the second person couldn't get through.

It's not like you have to pay extra for each card.

 

[crazyme5kids]

You don't need a card for each person Sometimes it takes a couple of swips for the card to work.

 

[disneyjunkie]

You only need several cards if you're using unlimited cards. If you have a weekly pass or fun pass, it can only be swiped once every 15 minutes or so.

If you purchase a $10.00, you can swipe as often as you like until the card reaches zero.

You can take the airtrain from JFK to Howard Beach then transfer to the A or C to 42nd Street. (Times Square) The A is express and the C is local.

When is your trip? Transit is doing major track work on a portion of the A and C lines for a few weekends.

If you take the train during that time, you'd have to get off at Utica Ave. Once you walk upstairs, there will be shuttle buses to take you downtown to Jay Street. You get back on the train at Jay Street.

There will be three buses there. The B25 ( don't get on that bus). A local shuttle. You can take that one but it will take forever to get downtown. There will also be an express shuttle. That's the one you want. Once that bus leaves Utica Ave, it won't stop again until it gets to Jay Street.

There are plenty of transit workers at Utica Ave to answer questions and direct you to the correct bus.

Now if it were me, I wouldn't deal with all of that. I'd just take a cab from JFK.

If you want, I can look up the repair dates. Maybe your trip falls after the work is completed.

 

[Mary Anne]

off topic but Disney Junkie, I always smile when I see the picture of your son, asleep at Disney. We have pictures like that tool. We label them "Are We having Fun yet"

 

[smacky1]

We are arriving on Thursday the 17th and leaving on Saturday the 19th. We did think about taking a cab, but we decided to try and save a little money. I wanted to say that I love that picture of your son as well. I think I love Disney more than my kids and someday they will be thinking the same thing.

 

[disneyjunkie]

We are arriving on Thursday the 17th and leaving on Saturday the 19th. We did think about taking a cab, but we decided to try and save a little money. I wanted to say that I love that picture of your son as well. I think I love Disney more than my kids and someday they will be thinking the same thing.

I just checked the schedule.

The work will be done by the time you get here.


I started taking pictures of my son because he claims he NEVER falls asleep when we're park hopping. After he saw the proof, he said he was just resting his eyes.

 

[smacky1]

Thank you again for your help disneyjunkie!

 

[lsg1]

I believe that you do get a discount for buying a daily pass (fun pass for 7.00) or a seven day or thirty day unlimited metrocard because you can use them over and over for the designated time period. So, if you plan to ride 4 rides or more, than a Fun Pass makes sense for the day.

Also, all the years I lived in NYC, we've often shared one card if we were just deducting one ride at a time (not using an unlimited ride card). I slide and go through the turnstile (deducts one fare) and pass it back to dh to slide again (deducts 2nd fare).

Just wanted to add, that for every $10 you add to the metro card, you get an extra $2 on it....so if you add $10, there will really be $12 on it. If you add$20 there will be $24 on it.
I just added $10 to mine yesterday, and it actually added $12, so I know this is true. Also, the metrocard allows you to transfer from subways to buses and the Staten Island Ferry is free. That is the best deal in town .

 

[MrsNick]

smacky, didn't realize you were travelling with other people! If that is the case, it is more cost effective for you to take a cab, not the supershuttle. Cab is also more cost effective than taking the LIRR. Remember, the cab fare will include four people (that's how many can fit in a cab), so really, $35 (or maybe $40) fixed for the cab fare plus tolls and tip would be very cost effective for three or four people. Have fun in NYC!