Nyc Metro Question

[NJBill]

Coming by Amtrak with wife and family in a few weeks to nyc via Penn Station. I am staying at the Embassy Suites Downtown.

 

1. Are the Metro Tracks hard to find once I get off Amtrak?

2. It looks like I need to take Red #3. Is this correct?

3. Can I buy a Metro Card at the station?

[Jane110]

Coming by Amtrak with wife and family in a few weeks to nyc via Penn Station. I am staying at the Embassy Suites Downtown.

 

1. Are the Metro Tracks hard to find once I get off Amtrak?

2. It looks like I need to take Red #3. Is this correct?

3. Can I buy a Metro Card at the station?

 

1. When you leave Amtrak and come upstairs, look for the signs that point you to the subway. You want to head DOWNTOWN, not uptown.

 

2. I don't know what a Red #3 is.

 

2. Yes, you can buy Metro cards at any subway station.

 

Jane

[Alex L]

Coming by Amtrak with wife and family in a few weeks to nyc via Penn Station. I am staying at the Embassy Suites Downtown.

 

1. Are the Metro Tracks hard to find once I get off Amtrak?

2. It looks like I need to take Red #3. Is this correct?

3. Can I buy a Metro Card at the station?

 

1 - They will be if you're looking for the Metro. The signs all point to the Subway. :)

 

2 - From Penn Station, you can take the 1, 2 or 3 train downtown (Brooklyn-bound) to Chambers St. From there it is a rather long walk to your hotel. If you are doing this with luggage, you might be better off taking a taxi from Penn straight to the hotel.

 

3 - You can buy MetroCards at the entrance to all subway stations. Here is the official link to MetroCard info.

[Budget Queen]

Yes it is the subway, there are machines outside all entrances. It will say "dip your credit card", means scan it in the slot. :) Determine if you want the unlimited ride or single ride then purchase.

 

And I agree, you have a LONG walk with luggage to your hotel, especially if you don't have quality rolling bags and only one small bag. Also stairs to go up. Definately go with a cab, will be lined up right outside of Penn.

[NJBill]

What are the chances of getting a Cab when I get off the subway by the hotel?

[Budget Queen]

What are the chances of getting a Cab when I get off the subway by the hotel?

 

 

 

Hauling your bags up and down stairs when cabs in NY are overall cheap?, just take the cab as recommended from Penn station at the cab line.

 

If you cont. to take the subway, you will have to hail a cab from the street. No way to predict how long, but Chambers is a busy street.

[NJBill]

You have convinced me to take a taxi to the hotel..... You mentioned a "long" walk.... we were planning to take the subway back to midtown to do some shopping sight seeing etc... Are we talking 4 blocks,8 blocks... from hotel to subway station

[Alex L]

You have convinced me to take a taxi to the hotel..... You mentioned a "long" walk.... we were planning to take the subway back to midtown to do some shopping sight seeing etc... Are we talking 4 blocks,8 blocks... from hotel to subway station

 

 

Here is a map of the area. Your hotel is on the corner of Vesey St and North End Ave, near the upper left corner; the Chambers St stop on the 1, 2 & 3 is in the upper right corner.

 

Here is a Google Map of the area, showing (somewhat) current conditions

 

Things to keep in mind

• West St is a MAJOR highway with traffic lights. Unless you're running most people take two green lights to cross the whole thing safely.
  
• The Cortlandt St stop on the 1 is no longer there; the Cortlandt St stop on the R & W will be closed for 5 months starting 8/20/05.
  
• The map is accurate as far as street locations go; however, some streets may be closed due to reconstruction work at the WTC site.
  

 

The walk isn't that bad as walks go - 15 minutes at the outside. But if you were hauling suitcases, it would seem about three times as far.

[Budget Queen]

As above it's totally different walking a couple blocks sightseeing and shopping, compared to hauling bags. A subway train, depending where you get on, can have you walking several block further as well since they are long. Avenue blocks are twice as long as street blocks. But bottom line, easy subway trip back for touring.

[NJBill]

Thanks... my only concern was there are 6 of us and we would need (2) taxi's and would be apart... on subway, we would be all together...but taxi still sounds like the way to go, which was my original plan...

about how much for a taxi from from Penn Station to Embassy?

[papadave]

The M20 bus from the 7th Avenue side of Penn Station goes right to your hotel. You can buy a metrocard in Penn Station, which I would advise, because the bus only accepts metrocards and loose change for the fare. At $2.00 per rider that's a lot of loose change.

 

If you plan to use public transportation more than once look into the unlimited use cards. There is a "daily" card which expires at midnight on the day you start using it; there is also a weekly card which expires at midnight on the seventh day of use. Subways are often faster than taxis in Manhattan.

 

FYI, the Chinese restaurant around the corner from the hotel (Lili's) is pretty good. The French style bakery in the World Financial Center Winter Garden (Financier) has fantastic pasteries and coffee. You can take a sailboat cruise from the North Cove Marina right in front of the Winter Garden. It is a great area -- I am lucky that my home is in this neighborhood.

[NJBill]

Thanks... I may tap your expertise again before I leave.... Just a bit nervous about coming to NYC with small kids....and not knowing first hand what to do...

[nybumpkin]

Bill - I'd also take a look at the Metropolitan Transit Authority's Website (there is a "clickable" subway map at http://mta.info/nyct/maps/submap.htm, and it also links to bus info). There's a lot of good information for visitors to NYC on the City's Website (www.nyc.gov) as well as the tourism authority's site (http://www.nycvisit.com/home/index.cfm ). As someone who's originally from between Turnpike exits 4 and 5, I greatly prefer the NYC subway system to the Market-Frankford El in Philly!

[Jane110]

Thanks... my only concern was there are 6 of us and we would need (2) taxi's and would be apart... on subway, we would be all together...but taxi still sounds like the way to go, which was my original plan...

about how much for a taxi from from Penn Station to Embassy?

 

 

Bill,

 

A taxi from Penn Station to your hotel will run about $10-$12. plus tip.

 

The bus will get you there, but will take a good 45 minutes.

 

I say take the taxi. There's taxi queue right outside of Penn station. Go to the 7th Ave exit, because 7th Ave runs downtown. If you exit on 8th Ave, you'll be heading north and your cab will have to go around the block to get onto 7th and cost you more.

 

Don't worry about kids in New York, just hold their hand when you cross the streets.

 

Jane

[NJBill]

You guys have been very helpful.......

[Alex L]

Thanks... I may tap your expertise again before I leave.... Just a bit nervous about coming to NYC with small kids....and not knowing first hand what to do...

 

 

No reason to worry about the kids - provided you hold on tight to them when crossing streets, walking in Manhattan during rush hours and lunch, and while riding subways. In 43 years of living here, it never ceases to amaze me how many things people forget when they visit NY - like stopping on staircases, at the ends of escalators, in the middle of streets. ;)

 

This list started out as a way to keep track of things we did/could do with my daughter. Feel free to use it. And if you need more help with the subways/directions feel free to e-mail me (alexL at si.rr.com) - I operate subway trains; directions is what I do.

[papadave]

Jane is absolutely right, the bus will take 45 minutes. If you are looking out the window at New York City as you go downtown through Greenwich Village this could be fund. Otherwise, you will find the extra 20 minutes on the bus (more if a wheelchair bound person must board and exit during your trip) tedious. A taxi (or two taxis if you have more than 3 people) will be quicker.