GETTING AROUND TOWN (INCLUDING CYCLING)

 

 

NYC can seem overwhelming to newcomers but once you get the hang of it, it is actually a pretty city to get around. You have a myriad of transit options: ferry, subway, bus, taxi, car-service or bike. For information on all of these, click here.

Public Transportation

The MTA

The MTA (Metropolitan Transit Authority) runs the public transportation in the city. The most common mode of public transit is by subway or bus but ferries also play an important part. With a MetroCard *(due to be phased out in December 2025), or an OMNY card, the fare for a subway or local bus ride is $2.90. If you qualify for reduced fare, you can travel for half fare. Up to three children 44 inches tall and under ride for free on subways and local buses when accompanied by a fare-paying adult. Infants (under two years of age) ride express buses free if the child sits on the lap of the accompanying adult.

 

Ferries

NYC Ferry provides New Yorkers a dependable way to commute and connect in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx along the East River – and the views are great! You can view the routes here. Increasingly the ferries are being ‘discovered’ by tourists who enjoy spectacular vistas at the fraction of the cost of a tourist cruise. You can also bring bikes on ferries — and there’s a small snack bar onboard. Paying the same price as a subway ticket of $2.90, you can have up to 90 minutes ride and transfer between lines. It’s a good idea to download the well-designed NYC Ferry app, where you can buy blocks of 10 tickets and view timetables all in one place.

 

Private Transportation

Taxis

Manhattan’s famous yellow taxi cabs (and Brooklyn’s green ones) are everywhere. Click here for information on taxis. Taxis (also called cabs) are a convenient way to get from place to place in the city. Surprisingly, they can be an affordable option when you have a group of people moving around together. A maximum of four passengers can ride in traditional cabs, there are also some five-passenger cabs that look more like minivans. A child younger than seven is allowed to sit on a passenger’s lap in the rear seat in addition to the passenger limit. A passenger is allowed to sit in the front seat with the driver when passengers have filled the rear or in the case of a passenger who cannot get into the rear of the cab. Hailing a New York City Taxi Hailing a cab is as simple as stepping off the curb and holding out your arm – it only gets complicated when you need to figure out why many New York taxis seem to drive by without stopping for you. The trick is in the lights atop the cab.

  • When just the center is lit, highlighting the medallion number, the cab is available.
  • When the medallion number as well as the side lamps are lit, the cab is off-duty.
  • When no lights are lit, the cab already has a fare they are bringing to a destination.

 It is always more difficult to get a cab when it’s raining, so sometimes it can be quicker (and you’ll even get less drenched) if you head to the subway. Riders are entitled to make multiple stops in a single cab ride, though the meter will continue to run throughout the trip and payment will be required at the end of the trip. There is no limit to the number of stops you can request.

“E-Hail” Car Services (Uber, Lyft etc)

“E-hail” services are booming in NYC. With a variety of on-demand car services like Uber, Via, Lyft, and Gett, riders are able to hail a ride with a smartphone app as opposed to hailing a standard taxi. Prices are competitive and often lower, especially with the launch of carpooling options such as Via.

Car-Share Programs

You live in NYC, and surprise, you likely don’t own a car!  You bike, bus, subway, rides-share or walk when possible, but sometimes it’s just nice to have your own wheels. With car-share programs you can reserve by the hour or day and run errands, visit friends, or venture out on a road trip. Spending the weekend in Montauk? Picking someone up from LaGuardia? Get the ins and outs of membership and hit the road. Here are some of the most popular car-share companies serving the NYC-area:

Car Rental

UN staff members can get special rates on some car rentals.  Enterprise Car Rental, National Car Rental and Alamo Car Rental have special rates for UN employees (as well as US government and military personnel). Book your car for both leisure and business using this link: www.partner.rentalcar.com/usgov/ Get your UN-employed spouse to ask their HR office for the current discount codes Note: Reserving a car for holidays and summer weekends can be difficult so plan ahead if possible. Depending on where you are going, you may also consider taking the train out of the city and renting at a smaller center as there is often better availability (and it can also be considerably cheaper).

Cycling in NYC

Whether it becomes your main way of getting around the city, a leisure pursuit — or just an occasional outing, cycling in NYC can be fun and fulfilling. NYLESA members Dan, Joe, Tonje, and Meriel and NYLESA spouse Nicholas shared their tips on cycling in and around NYC.

A good starting point for information about cycling in NYC 
For maps, rules, cycling events and general advice, take a look at Bike New York

Where to get a bike in New York
1. Buy a New One
NYLESA partner Nicholas Ceolin recommends RA Cycles in Brooklyn. “One of the best in the business for high-quality bikes, gear, and fitting. They cater to all levels, from commuters to serious racers.” NYLESA members Tonje and Meriel both bought eBikes online from Blix Bikes – who ship your bike in a semi-assembled form from California. You can then either have a go at setting it up yourself, or you can arrange to arrange for it to be delivered to a bike shop in NYC, and they will set it up for you. For this, Tonje recommends Master Bike on the Upper West side. Another possibility is Greenpath in Brooklyn.
Other recommendations to buy a new bike (from Time Out NYC): 
Kickstand Bikes – Close to the UN, a friendly, family-run bike store
Bellitte Bikes – the oldest bike shop in the US, is based in Queens.
Bfold – A folding bike specialist.
Two bike retailers in Brooklyn: Bicycle Station and Bicycle Roots 

2. Buy a Secondhand One
For a humorous but sensible overview on how to safely buy a used bike, Nicholas recommends this helpful YouTube guide. His tips for sourcing a bike are “Facebook Marketplace (with caution), and local bike co-ops like Recycle-A-Bicycle are also good places to look. I always recommend buying only after seeing the bike and going with a friend who knows about bikes.”
Other online marketplaces:
Craigslist
UN classifieds – you will need to ask your UN-employed partner to access their iSeek account for this.  https://iseek.un.org/nyc/classifieds
Buycycle – A nationwide site for selling secondhand bikes. You will need to insert your NYC postcode.

3. Use a CitiBike
The city-wide Citi Bike / Lyft scheme allows you to unlock a bike from one location and drop it off at another. You can pay at the bike station or use their convenient app. There are ordinary – and quite basic – pushbikes (blue), and electric bikes (grey). You can pay by ride – but (unsurprisingly) it’s more economical to pay for a monthly or annual subscription. You can compare their price schemes here.

4. Rent a Bike
For occasional excursions, or to participate in one of the city’s cycling events, it can be more convenient to rent a bike by the hour or by the day.
A day’s bike hire from Central Park starts at $39
Quite a few bike shops in the city also rent bikes, for example Kickstand in midtown East.

Where to get your bike repaired, serviced or reassembled
Bicycle Station on the corner of Park Place and Adelphi Street in Brooklyn “Really good, no-frills and affordable service from Mike” (NYLESA member Joe)
Spin City Cycle (Forest Hills, Queens) – “A friendly, reliable neighbourhood shop known for honest service, fast turnarounds, and solid pricing. Great for everything from tune-ups to tricky repairs.” (Nicholas)
RA Cycles (Brooklyn): “One of the best-equipped and most knowledgeable bike shops in NYC, offering everything from quick fixes to high-end custom builds. Their mechanics are experienced and great with both road and gravel bikes Although please note that this is not a generic bike shop, but a race bike shop.” (Nicholas)

Favourite cycling routes in and around NYC

Governors Island – peaceful, great views of the Statue of Liberty (see Tonje’s photo above) and traffic free! This would also be a fun place for kids to practice cycling. You can take your bike on the ferry, or pick up a Citibike beside the dock and at different points onthe island.
Hudson River Greenway – glide all the way along the bank of the Hudson River, from Battery Park up to Inwood.
Prospect Park Loop – Great for intervals, low traffic, and scenic greenery.
Central Park Loop – Iconic, well-paved, and welcoming to riders of all levels, although there’s lots of other users.
For a list of self-guided bike routes in NYC prepared by the city’s Department of Transportation, Click here. 
Bethpage Bikeway (Long Island) – A long, paved trail with plenty of off-road offshoots.
Empire State Trail – Ambitious but rewarding, running from NYC upstate to the Canadian border.

Cycling Events
The Tour de Bronx – Coming up on October 5, this family-friendly event has a 10-mile route, a 25-mile route and a 40-mile route.
The NYC Five Boroughs Bike Tour – an annual event in early May, this takes you on a 40-mile route through all of NYC’s 5 boroughs, ending by crossing the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge (not normally open to cyclists) to Staten Island. It’s well organised – and they can also provide bike hire. You can already register for early bird tickets.

Social Cycling
Want to cycle with some like-minded people? Join a club!

1. The Fresh Biked Cookies
Described by NYLESA partner Nicholas Ceolin as ‘NYC’s Most Wholesome Cycling Crew.’ “Looking for a cycling club that’s more about community than watt bombs and KOMs? Meet Fresh Biked Cookies – a friendly, inclusive cycling crew born on the roads and trails of New York City. We’re not a racing team (though sometimes we ride like one when the mood hits!). Our vibe is relaxed, supportive, and social. We organise beginner-friendly group rides, explore all five boroughs and beyond, and often join larger cycling events like the Five Boro Bike Tour as a team. Our rides are about chatting and cheering each other on – with just the right sprinkle of competition now and then. Everyone is welcome, no matter your pace, bike, or experience level. And it doesn’t cost a dime!” Contact Nicholas at nicholas.ceolin@gmail.com.

2. The UN Bicycle Club
Established in 1986 and run by UN staff, the Bicycle Club say they are delighted to welcome NYLESA members too. The club describes its objective as: to provide opportunities for recreational group cycling, maintain physical fitness, promote an environmentally-friendly means of transport, foster friendship among UN staff and delegates and with people outside the UN – and explore the tri-state area and enjoy its cultural and scenic amenities. The club organises around 20 rides per season. To get onto their mailing list, contact Alberto Padova albpd@yahoo.com
3. Social Cycling NYC
Not a formal club, but a weekly opportunity for an evening ride in the company of others to a different part of the city. They assemble every Thursday at 7pm at Columbus Circle, and set off at 7.30pm. Go to their Instagram page for details — the map of each week’s route is posted in the ‘bio’ section.

Other tips for owning a bike in NYC
1. Parking outside the home. If you are using your own bike to get around town, the lack of bike parking facilities can be frustrating. This map, produced by the city’s Department of Transportation, can help. Use the strongest locks you can get hold of — a cable to secure any quick-release parts and a hefty D-lock. If you have an E-bike that you’re leaving outside for a couple of hours, take off the battery.

2. Parking inside the home. Check your building’s regulations on storing bikes. Many have bicycle parking facilities, but you’re required to pay for them. If taking your bike up in a lift is a problem, you might be better off with a folding bike.

3. Survival on the streets. NYC has some good designated bike lanes: some are painted green, some marked with chevron arrows on the road. Wearing a helmet, something hi-vis and having lights on your bike are certainly advisable. In all cases, beware of:

  • Drivers turning left (across your path) – particularly drivers who panic when the traffic lights change and are worried about causing gridlock behind them
  • Yellow cabs, who are permitted to pull right into the kerb, and delivery vans who do it anyway
  • Potholes and metal ramps across the road
  • Cars parked beside the bike lane, where the doors suddenly open into your path
  • Bicycle delivery riders. Your fellow travellers in the bike lane are on a punishing schedule and often don’t stop at lights.
  • NYPD – Earlier this year NYPD anounced they would be stepping up action against cyclists who commit violations, such as running a red light, riding on the sidewalk, or not yielding to a pedestrian. NYPD are now empowered to issue court summonses to cyclists, whereas in the past it would probably have just been a fine. For more about this – and other cycling news in NYC, the website Streetsblog keeps across city developments that affect bicycles.