New York, United States

Getting around New York

How to travel around New York — 5 options, what they cost, and which booking apps fix the fare before you go.

Last updated 2026-08-08

1. Subway

Runs 24 hours, which almost no other metro does, and reaches all five boroughs.

Cost: USD 2.90 flat, weekly cap with OMNY
Tip: Tap a contactless card with OMNY; after 12 rides in a week the rest are free.

2. Walking

Manhattan's grid makes it the most walkable large city in the US.

Tip: Twenty north-south blocks is roughly a mile; cross-town blocks are much longer.

3. Yellow cab and ride-hailing

Metered yellow cabs, plus Uber and Lyft everywhere.

Cost: USD 70 flat fare JFK to Manhattan plus tolls and tip

Watch outUnlicensed drivers touting inside airport terminals; the flat fare only applies to licensed yellow cabs from the official rank.

4. Staten Island Ferry

Free, runs 24 hours, and passes close to the Statue of Liberty.

Cost: Free

Watch outTicket sellers in Battery Park selling harbour cruises that do not land anywhere.

5. AirTrain plus subway

The cheap way in from JFK, via Jamaica or Howard Beach.

Cost: USD 8.50 AirTrain plus USD 2.90 subway

Booking apps in United States

Agreeing the fare in an app before you travel removes the argument at the end of the journey, which is where most transport scams happen. Links go to each app's official page — lookalike apps are themselves a scam.

Uber

Nationwide ride-hailing with the fare shown before booking.

Coverage: Nationwide, including airport pickup zones.
Why it helps: Avoids the unofficial drivers who tout inside airport terminals at several times the licensed rate.

Lyft

The main US alternative to Uber, often cheaper on the same route.

Coverage: Nationwide.
Why it helps: Fare is agreed in the app before the trip, and the route is recorded — which removes the refused meter, the tampered meter and the fixed 'foreigner price' in one move.

Transit

Real-time transit planning across most US city networks.

Coverage: Most metropolitan areas.

Amtrak

Official booking for the national intercity rail network.

Coverage: Nationwide corridors.