PATH
A separate train system linking Lower Manhattan and Midtown with Hoboken, Jersey City and Newark. The fare is $3.25 from 4 May 2026, or $3.10 a ride in a 10-trip bundle. It does not accept OMNY.
Check the PATH app for service changes
Getting around
How New York actually moves
New York is a walking city with a very good train set underneath it. Once you understand the airport transfer, the fare cap and when a taxi is worth it, the city becomes much smaller.
From the airport
JFK, LGA and EWR to Manhattan
None of the three airports has a one-seat train to Midtown, but all are straightforward. Costs are one-way per person.
| Airport | Option | Cost | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JFK | AirTrain + E subway | $11.75 | 50–60 min | Cheapest reliable route. AirTrain is $8.75, the subway fare $3.00; runs 24/7. |
| JFK | AirTrain + LIRR | $14 off-peak / $16 peak | 30–40 min | Fastest to Penn Station; check the timetable first. |
| JFK | Yellow cab | $70 flat + tolls and tip | 45–75 min | Around $90–110 all in. No surge pricing; join the taxi rank outside arrivals. |
| LGA | Free Q70 bus + subway | $3.00 | 45–60 min | No rail link. The bus is free; you pay only the subway fare. |
| LGA | Metered cab | Around $35–55 + extras | 25–45 min | Often the fastest option once you are in the cab. |
| EWR | AirTrain + NJ Transit | Around $20–25 | 30–45 min | Runs to Penn Station; the most predictable route from Newark. |
| EWR | Coach USA bus | Around $18 | 40–60 min | To Port Authority; useful if the rail connection is disrupted. |
Subway & OMNY
The subway, and how to pay for it
The subway runs 24 hours a day and reaches everywhere a visitor is likely to go. It is also the cheapest part of a New York trip by a wide margin.
The base fare is $3.00 for the subway and local buses (from 4 January 2026), with a reduced fare of $1.50 for eligible riders; express buses cost $7.25. Pay by tapping a contactless card, phone or watch on the turnstile reader, or use an OMNY card ($1 introductory fee) from a vending machine.
Fare capping is the part most visitors miss. Tap the same card every time and after 12 fares in any rolling seven days, further rides are free — about $36 a week, or $67 including express buses; the reduced-fare cap is $17.50. MetroCard sales and refills ended on 1 January 2026, and existing cards are accepted into 2026 only until the MTA announces a cut-off. Do not plan around buying one.
| Fare | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Subway and local bus | $3.00 | Reduced fare $1.50 |
| Express bus | $7.25 | Capped separately |
| OMNY single-ride ticket | $3.50 | 2-hour validity, no subway-to-bus transfer |
| Weekly fare cap | Around $36 | 12 fares in a rolling 7 days, then free |
| Cap including express bus | $67 | Same card or device throughout |
| OMNY card | $1 introductory fee | Load at station vending machines |
Tapping in, step by step
- 01
Use one card per rider
Each person taps their own card or device. One card cannot tap two people through, and sharing breaks the fare cap.
- 02
Tap, wait for the green light
Hold the card flat on the reader on top of the turnstile until it beeps and shows green, then push through.
- 03
Tap on buses at the front
Board at the front and tap the reader beside the driver.
- 04
Keep the same card all week
The cap follows the card, not the person or the trip.
Taxis & rideshare
When a cab is worth it
Yellow cabs are metered, plentiful in Midtown and easy to flag. From JFK the fare is a flat $70 plus tolls and tip — around $90–110 in total. From LaGuardia a metered cab is around $35–55 plus extras; tips run 15–20%.
Congestion pricing adds $0.75 to each yellow-cab trip and $1.50 to each rideshare trip that enters Manhattan south of 60th Street. Rideshare prices surge; a yellow cab does not, so when the app quotes double, walk to the nearest rank. Late at night a cab is often the sensible choice for a group.
Use the Curb app to order a yellow cab, or Uber and Lyft for rideshare. At airports, follow signs to the designated pickup area rather than accepting a ride from someone who approaches you inside the terminal.
Across the water
PATH, ferries and Citi Bike
Three alternatives that are sometimes faster than the subway and always more interesting.
Staten Island and NYC Ferry
The Staten Island Ferry is free, runs 24 hours and takes about 25 minutes each way, roughly every 30 minutes — and gives you the best free view of the Statue of Liberty. NYC Ferry costs $5.00 one way (from 19 October 2026) and runs along the East River to Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx.
Citi Bike
A docked bike share across Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. A single ride is $4.99 per 30 minutes, a day pass $25, an annual membership $239. Use the app to find a dock, and allow extra time at waterfront stations in the evening.
Helmets are not provided
Accessibility
Step-free travel takes planning
Only about 150 of the subway's 472 stations are step-free. Buses are the reliable alternative — every one is wheelchair-accessible.
Step-free stations include Times Square–42 Street, Grand Central, Fulton Street, Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center, Flushing–Main Street, 161 Street–Yankee Stadium and Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue. For anything else, plan the route in the MTA app, which shows step-free paths and live lift status, and be ready to switch to a bus if a lift is out.
Allow extra time and check the lift status on the morning you travel. Access-A-Ride paratransit serves eligible riders but must be arranged in advance.
Apps and street sense
What to install before you land
A handful of apps covers almost everything, and much of the city has free WiFi.
- 01
MTA and Citymapper
Live subway status, service changes and step-free routes; Citymapper is better for walking and transit directions.
- 02
Transit and NYC Ferry
Real-time arrivals for subway, bus and ferry. The NYC Ferry app includes timetables and tickets.
- 03
TKTS, TodayTix, Resy and OpenTable
Same-day theatre seats, restaurant reservations and last-minute tables.
- 04
Curb, Uber and Lyft
Order a yellow cab or a rideshare.
LinkNYC kiosks provide free WiFi on many streets, and there is free WiFi on subway platforms and in public libraries.
Questions
Getting-around questions
Can I use a contactless bank card on the subway?
Yes. Tap a contactless credit or debit card, phone or watch at any turnstile. Use the same one all week to reach the fare cap. Check whether your bank charges foreign transaction fees, as a few percent per tap adds up.
Do I still need a MetroCard?
No. Sales and refills ended on 1 January 2026; existing cards are accepted into 2026 only until the MTA announces a cut-off. Use contactless payment or an OMNY card.
What is the cheapest way from JFK to Manhattan?
AirTrain plus the E subway: $11.75 in total and 50–60 minutes to Midtown. For Penn Station, AirTrain plus the LIRR is faster at $14 off-peak and $16 peak.
How do I get to Staten Island?
The Staten Island Ferry from Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan is free, runs 24 hours and takes about 25 minutes each way, roughly every 30 minutes.