I have often complained about the transport system in London; how packed it is, and the length of time it takes to get anywhere. However, I will not be complaining about it any more. In comparison to New York; London has a super modern and efficient transport system.
One thing I do enjoy, when I visit some place new, is getting to navigate my way around the city, and I think that a city with an underground/subway/metro system is one of the best ways to do it, I have managed in Dusseldorf, Berlin, Paris, Singapore and Bangkok pretty easily. The system in Seoul, South Korea was a little trickier.
New York, as a city was easy to navigate on foot. I loved how many street names were numbered, such as 5th Avenue or North 10th Street. This made it easy when walking toward somewhere, and knowing if you were going in the right direction. For example if you were on 53rd street and knew something was on the corner of 59th street and Madison Avenue, and you got to 52nd street, you knew you were going in the wrong direction.
This way of describing streets and blocks, reminded me of how New Zealanders give directions to places, by saying “on the corner of ..”
It is a good system.
Before I travelled to New York, I looked into the subway system and it looked quite simple on paper. It seemed that a one week MTA card, costing $31 would be the best way to use both subways and buses to get around. The lines didn’t seem to complex, and I believed that New York, which appears to be quite a modern city, would have an easy transport system.
It wasn’t easy.
When we arrived at JFK airport, we wandered around to the Air train platform to get our tickets to Howard Beach station, that would connect us to Brooklyn and the city.
After getting down onto the platform, we noticed that there was very little information. No maps or digital display boards to tell us when the next train was. So we stood and waited.
We waited for about 20 minutes before our train came to take us into Broadway Avenue, where we would change for our L line train to Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Inside the train, again there were very little coherent announcements or a map to let you know what line you were on and what the stops were. Luckily we had a subway map and followed this to our relevant stop.
Whats wrong with the NY subway?
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paper tickets
Tickets, as shown above are made from card, they can be topped up (much like an Oyster card, in London), but have to be swiped through the barrier. Often the barrier doesn’t read it correctly, and you are standing there getting frustrated.
This reminded me of the days before the Oyster card system in London; were you had to use a paper ticket and get a travel pass. You put it in and out of the ticket barrier and away you went. Sometimes it did spit it out at you, and you had to try again, but it always seemed smoother, as you didn’t have to physically swipe.
In London, they are doing away with these paper style tickets (only having them for mainland rail services), and encouraging visitors to get an Oyster card.
So in short, this system in New York, drove me insane.
2. It has the same in and out barriers/exits
Although this wasn’t always the case; in many (perhaps smaller) stations, the barriers that you swiped through to go down into the platforms, were the same ones people who were coming up to the street level, were coming out of.
During busier periods, such as after work, this got quite difficult to manage, although New Yorkers didn’t seem annoyed with this, often if you were the only person coming in, they would give you right of way, and were very friendly and considerate.
Londoners would not cope with this system!
3. Very little amounts of escalators or elevators (lifts) to platforms or street level
The World will never be fully accessible to all peoples. Even in London, not all underground stations have level access platforms, or lifts (elevators) to assist people in wheelchairs, or with luggage, but we found virtually every station we went to all had stairs, with the exception of Howard Beach station to the airport, and Broadway Avenue, where we changed. This made carrying suitcases a pain in the ass (which reminded me why I normally carry a rucksack when I travel).
4. Virtually no information on the platforms
Apart from at Penn Station, Grand Central and a select few stations we got to, there was no information, digital display boards or maps on the platform.
Seriously New York, how do you live like this?!
Sometimes there will be announcements up on the main ticket hall area that a train is coming in so many minutes time, but often, we stood there – wondering when the train will be arriving.
Londonders would die if the underground was like this.
Perhaps New Yorkers have a subway app on there phones, or are just used to this system?
5. Different trains go on the same line
Local and express trains, as they are known as in New York, run on the same platform, and it took me a little while to figure out what this meant; basically express trains will run to a destination and miss out a few stops, and a local train will stop everywhere – sort of makes sense. However, unless you know the train route well (I think), there is no information anywhere to say what stops it will be calling at. Sometimes, there will be an announcement (which is difficult to hear and understand), but little information on the trains.
As well as this, different train lines will also use the same platform, which we found confusing.
6. Where is the Subway?
The last thing we found really frustrating was the fact that a subway station was really hard to find. Unlike in London, where there is a big red and white circular advert, brightly lit and easily recgonsible. In New York, you’ll be walking around for ages, and then come across a narrow set of stairs leading you to the subway.
Luckily the GPS on my phone was able to navigate us to the nearest metro, which I was really thankful for.
Safety on the Metro
Overall, for a big city, we felt quite safe using the subway, although on one occasion where we were in the city until 1am, we missed our last L train, and had to go via another part of Brooklyn. We met some interesting and creepy characters, but I guess it is like that in any city; keep your wits about you at all times, and watch your belongings.
Metrocard scam
Point to note – I read up on this online before travelling to New York, but when you arrive at Howard Beach station, from JFK; buy your metro card from the vending machine, or there is a small news stand, which works out cheaper as the vending machine will ask you to pay for an air train ticket and a single journey, so if you are in the city for a long period of time, its best to go to the news stand and pay $5 for the air train card and $31 for your weekly pass. Rather than $7.75, then buying a new card later on.
When you get to Howard beach, you will meet some shady looking guys, who will offer to sell you a metro card (DON’T buy this!). What they do is they target tourists coming back to JFK, and ask if they have their metro card, and whether they are done with it, as it is likely that there will be some money left on it, or days of a travel pass. We saw a number of unsuspecting tourists give up there cards.
These cards are then sold on, and often if you buy them, they may have no money or very little on there for what you need.
We had 2 days left on our card, and if you have some days left too, you’re better off giving your card to a traveller at the terminal who is travelling into the city.
Have I formed a good judgement of New York’s transport system? Are native New Yorkers better at navigating? I’d love to give it another go again, and try not to get so confused and frustrated.
Interesting article. A few points:
1. Since 2015, we’ve added digital clocks to almost all our stations (of varying accuracy).
2. There are maps at the entrances to (most) subway stations, and that has been the case for quite a while. Fewer have maps on the platforms, although we are adding digital boards for precisely that reason.
3. The swipe occasionally goes wrong, but it isn’t especially difficult to master after a few goes through, and we have the advantage of having a single fare no matter how far you go. I was recently to London and was disgusted by the price that metro commuters face for living (as almost everyone does) miles upon miles from the city center.
4. Almost all NYC subway stations are significantly shallower than metro stations in London. There is thus profoundly less concern with stairs, alhtough we are installing more escalators and elevators for the disabled and elderly.
5. All subways have maps in every car indicating which stops the train will make; now those include digital displays indicating precisely which stops will be made.
Good article, though. Though one thing to keep in mind about NYC is how odd the city layout is. Unlike London, where you quite literally have a central city, NYC is a series of islands, with the central Western most island being overwhelming more important than anything else. Thus our travel network tends to bunch far off to the West, leaving the East and Southeast, especially, quite underserved comparatively.
Hi James,
Thanks for your comment, and the update! I think its like any new city, it always seems tricky to use the public transport. Maybe I was a little harsh on subway system!
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I’m a native New Yorker and as one who has used multiple transport options in other cities throughout the world, I don’t get how people can’t figure out the subway system. For starters, it’s one price, no matter where you go. So I think NYC is winning on that front. Secondly, while it’s cheaper to take the subway from the airport, it’s a pain in the ass and I don’t know a single person who has ever done it. I just use one of the cheap shuttle services. For the most part , the god awful MTA is very slowly adding digital display boards to all stations. Of course the more popular lines, areas, and cars are going to have the most up to date features. Phew, I could go on and on.
Hey Melissa,
Thanks for the comment, and again I apologise of you’ve been offended by my post on your city’s transport system.
It is incredibly cheap, I’ll give you that. What we paid for a weeks pass, that would be 2 days in London, and you’re right, no matter how far you go, it’s the same price. I used to pay about $70 per week for my commute to work in London.
We didn’t find getting from the airport too bad, once we figured out where the air train was. I think the problem as a visitor to the city, there just needs to be more information like everywhere. A non native will be lost no matter what. We literally need reminding where we are going at all times.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think London has it right. It took me a little while to work out the system and there are things that still frustrate me, but you learn to live with it I guess.
I am a native New Yorker. The trains are the best way to get around, especially in the city. If you know which direction you need to go in then known which train to get on isn’t hard. There are also maps on most platforms or at least near the booths that tell you what stops the trains make and what trains can be found at other stops. The trains also have maps on them that you can read. The trains are updated to tell you what the next stop is and what is coming next. Once in awhile you swipe and it doesn’t work, you just swipe again not really a biggie. It does stink to drag things down steps because there are plenty of areas where they aren’t accessible for all which isn’t too nice. They are everywhere so they really aren’t that hard to find. There are also a ton of apps that don’t require wifi that will let you know the arrival of the next train or apps that on wifi will tell you how to get some where. Hope you give it another try.
Hey Holly,
Thanks for your comment. I do hope to give the subway system another try one day, and I hope you didn’t feel that I was whining about your city. Subway systems are a great way to get around, I just found it a lot different to London, which I guess New York is.
In regards to the maps, I did notice that there were ones near the ticketing halls, but on many platforms, we couldn’t find any on most, and not all trains had digital screens to tell us what the next stop was.
Sorry if I sounded like an annoyed Brit; I really loved New York and hope to visit one day soon.
Happy travels,
Abbi