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Travel Guide
The subway is the fastest way to cover real distance in New York, and as of 2026 it runs entirely on OMNY, the MTA's contactless payment system -- tap a contactless credit/debit card or a phone wallet directly at the turnstile rather than buying a MetroCard, which has been phased out. A single ride is a flat $3, with a free transfer to a local bus within two hours of tapping in. Pay-as-you-go rides also cap automatically: once a rider hits 12 paid trips in a rolling 7-day week, every further local ride that week is free, matching what an unlimited weekly pass used to cost without having to buy one upfront.
New York is served by three airports -- JFK and LaGuardia in Queens, and Newark across the Hudson in New Jersey. JFK connects to the subway network via the AirTrain (free within the airport, with a fare once it reaches the subway at Jamaica or Howard Beach). From Newark, an NJ Transit train direct from Penn Station is generally the fastest way in or out. Airport taxis and rideshare are readily available at all three but can take considerably longer than the train during peak traffic.
Manhattan's grid layout makes walking a genuinely practical way to get around many neighborhoods, and it's often faster than a cab over short distances given traffic. Yellow cabs and rideshare apps cover everywhere the subway doesn't reach as directly, especially useful late at night or when traveling with luggage.