The best way to experience New York is to walk. The grid system makes it easy to navigate the streets, and you'll soon get a feel for the city and its inhabitants. Pay attention to the "Walk-Don't Walk" signs at every street corner. Cars won't necessarily stop even if you are in the crosswalk, and people on bikes and rollerblades seldom stop for a red light. Sometimes, staring down the oncoming traffic makes the driver halt, but that may not be a risk you want to take. Mayor Guiliani has also stepped up efforts to prevent jaywalking by increasing jaywalking fines and erecting barriers to disallow pedestrians use of certain crosswalks, so now you risk your life and jaywalking fines for crossing the street inappropriately.

N THE SUBWAY

The subway is generally the fastest method of transportation, particularly in Manhattan. A ride costs $1.50 and includes free transfers at stations where lines intersect. The subway runs 24 hours, though a few lines have limited service. You can always count on repair-related disruptions with the subway system, but white signs posted in the stations and on the trains describe stations and trains affected. Call the MTA information line for updates (718) 330-1234; (718) 330-4847 for non-English speaking customers.

Free subway maps are available at various hotels or at one of the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) information sites located at Grand Central Terminal, Times Square, Port Authority Bus Terminal, the World Trade Center (Building 2, mezzanine), or in Brooklyn at 370 Jay Street. Station booths also have subway maps—just ask the attendant for one. There are also maps posted in every station and somewhere on every train, but not nearly enough. Once through the subway entrance turnstiles, you may have to wait until you are on the train to consult a map.

Subway stations are generally identified at street level by illuminated globes: green for entrances that are open 24 hours a day, red for restricted entry. Some stations are marked only by a sign with the station name and the lines that pass through it. Lines are identified by a letter or number, a color, and the endpoints of the line. The F train, for instance, is displayed as an orange line on the map, and goes from Stillwell Avenue/Coney Island to 21st Street/Queensbridge. If you are on the F in Manhattan, travelling toward Coney Island, you are headed downtown (south). If you are travelling toward Queensbridge, you are headed uptown (north).

Local service makes all stops, while express service skips several stops at a time. Check your map to determine which lines are which, or you may end up in the Bronx when you wanted to stop on the Upper West Side. On the subway map, every station lists the trains that stop there. If a letter or number is printed in bold typeface, the line always stops at that station. Light typeface signifies that the line does not operate at all times or that it sometimes skips that station. There is a key to these exceptions in the upper right corner of the subway map.

In recent years, crime on the subway has decreased considerably. Travelling during the day is perfectly safe, as long as you follow commonsense precautions (see below). Evening and late night, there will be fewer people on the trains, and you will have to determine your own comfort level when riding the subway. If you do choose to ride the subway at night, wait for the train near the station booth or in the yellow section marked "Off Hour Waiting Area" and ride in the center car, where the conductor is, so you will have more company.

You can purchase subway tokens at any subway station. MetroCards, a popular alternative to tokens, are available in $6, $15, and $30 denominations at station booths, and at Rite Aid, corner bodegas, supermarkets, and check-cashing stores throughout the city. MetroCard promotions offer one free ride, actually a 10% discount, with the purchase of a $15 MetroCard. This discount is also applicable for MetroCards purchased in any denomination between $15 and $80. Riders may carry up to $100 on the MetroCard at any time. There are also unlimited weekly and monthly passes, costing $17 and $63 respectively. Unlimited ride MetroCards can be purchased at subway station booths. Daily passes will be available to customers in mid January, but they will only be offered at out-of-system locations. Customers may call (212) MET-ROCA within New York City, or (800) MET-ROCA outside of the city to find the nearest MetroCard merchant.

To use a MetroCard, slide the card through the slot in the turnstile and wait for an electronic sign that tells you to proceed. With the MetroCard, you can make free transfers from the bus to subway, subway to bus, or bus to bus within a two-hour time limit. (Since the card readers can't figure out what direction you're moving in, you can take the subway in one direction, then the bus back home, as long as it's within the time limit.) Unlimited MetroCards also have the free transfer feature, but two riders cannot both use one MetroCard to enter the subway at the same time. Eighteen minutes must elapse before the card can be used again.

N THE BUS

The traffic in Manhattan ensures that even if you leave plenty of time when taking the bus, you will arrive at your destination late. This does not mean that you should never take the bus—it can be a great way to see landmarks and street life while sitting down. An especially good route is the M1 along Fifth and Madison Avenues from 59th Street to the Battery and back.

City buses are blue and white and they stop every two or three blocks at stops marked by white and blue signs. When the bus arrives, check the lighted sign in front to make sure it's your route. Subway tokens or MetroCards are the easiest way to pay for a bus ride. Otherwise, you must have exact change—$1.50. Only quarters, dimes, and nickels are accepted; no bills. Free transfers are available if you need to change buses to reach your destination, but you must ask for one when you pay your fare. No paper transfer is necessary when using a MetroCard.

Most buses "kneel," which means that the front right side of the bus comes down to street level to make it easy to board. All buses are wheelchair accessible; use the entrance toward the back of the bus, where there is a lift. To request a stop, press the yellow strip between the windows, which will illuminate a "stop requested" sign at the front of the bus. Exit from either the front or rear doors (you have to push the rear doors open).

There are about 30 express-bus routes operated by the NYC Transit. Many of them run between Manhattan and Staten Island during weekday rush hours only. Express-bus tokens are sold in 11 Downtown Manhattan Stations. Express bus riders may also purchase the $30 MetroCard to obtain 11 rides for the price of 10. Call (718) 330-1234 for express-bus schedule information.

AKE A TAXI

Taxis are a convenient way to get around, particularly at night. Taxis are yellow—anyone who tells you he's a taxi driver in a car a color other than yellow is lying. If the light on the top of the cab is lit in the middle, the cab is empty and in service.

Most hotels have taxi stands, as do Grand Central Terminal and Pennsylvania Station. Hailing a cab yourself is easy enough. Stand just off the corner, a little bit out in the street, and raise your arm. This is usually enough to get a cab to stop. Yelling "taxi" or whistling is unnecessary—the city is noisy enough as it is.

Rates for taxis are:
$2.00 just for getting in;
$.30 for each 1/4 mile;
$.30 for each 30 seconds stopped in traffic;
$.50 additional night charge;
Plus, tip in the range of 15-20 percent.

In the back of every cab there is a list of riders' rights, which includes "the right to a receipt," "the right to be taken to any destination in the metropolitan area," etc. You also have the right to a seat belt. It would be wise to buckle up, as taxis move fast and allow little margin for error. Taxi drivers sometimes try to rip you off by taking a longer route than is necessary, but if they think you know what you're talking about, they won't mess with you. Know where you're going and try to mention that you'd like to go via a certain street.

N THE CAR

Driving in Manhattan should be easy: above 14th Street, the streets form a perpendicular, numeric grid—avenues are north-south, streets are east-west. Fifth Avenue divides the East side from the West side. However, the combination of traffic, crazy drivers, and one-way streets makes driving a nightmare for the inexperienced. If you can avoid it, do so.

Don't block the intersection; it's illegal and causes gridlock. Technically, you are not allowed to honk your horn unless someone is in danger of hitting you, or being hit by you, but no one pays attention to this. Parking tickets are serious business here, so read the signs before you park. Alternate side rules mean that on certain days you cannot park on one side of the street, because it is being cleaned. You cannot park in loading zones, within 20 feet of a fire hydrant, at a bus stop, or anywhere else a sign tells you not to.

Lock your car doors, remove the stereo if you don't want someone else to do it for you, and don't leave anything valuable in plain sight.

Y RAILROAD

The Long Island Rail Road takes more people to work every day than any other commuter railroad in the country. So escape the traffic and relax while travelling without the expenses of parking fees and tolls. Most LIRR customers travel to or from Pennsylvania Station, though the LIRR is actually headquartered at Jamaica Station in Queens, where all lines except the Port Washington line converge.

Tickets can be purchased in the station, or the train. Tickets purchased on the train when ticket offices are open cost more, so buy before you board. Ticket vending machine (TVM) offer fast, convenient service and some even accept credit cards. Most stations also sell tokens for New York City subways and buses. Weekly and monthly tickets are available from ticket agents, TVMs, or through the mail. Traveling "Off-peak" saves you about 30% over rush-hour fares. Peak trains arrive at western terminals weekdays between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., and depart those terminals between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. All other trains are off-peak. Check branch schedules for complete fare information.

The Metro North Railroad, which has its hub at Grand Central Terminal runs passenger trains north along several lines into Connecticut and upstate New York.

ETTING TO AND FROM THE AIRPORT

Landing on the runway at the airport in the city of your choice usually means the end of your long journey. Not in New York City. Getting from the airport into Manhattan is actually half of the journey, so plan ahead: figure out exactly where you're going and the best way for you to get there before you deplane.

The return trip to the airport should be a cinch: use the bus services mentioned above, call that limo service again, or pull your bags to the curb and hail a cab.

There are two major airports in New York City, both in Queens: John F. Kennedy International Airport, the bigger and grimier of the two, and LaGuardia Airport, which is closer to Manhattan. From midtown Manhattan, it's about 15 miles to JFK Airport and around five miles to LaGuardia Airport. Be prepared to spend an hour or more to get from the airport into mid-Manhattan. Newark International Airport in New Jersey is actually closer to some parts of Manhattan than either New York City airport and the journey takes around 30 minutes.

IRPORT: TAXIS

The simplest way into the city, though certainly not the cheapest, is to take a taxi. The fare from JFK Airport is a fixed rate of $30 to go anywhere in Manhattan, plus tolls and tip. The trip from LaGuardia Airport into the city is a metered one, with usual fares ranging from $20 to $30, plus tolls and tip. Fares from Newark Airport, which are metered but don't include toll or tip, cost between $28-$32 to Midtown Manhattan.

There is an authorized taxi stand where a dispatcher directs passengers to the appropriate cab, so have the exact address of your destination handy (it also helps to have cross streets). Though drivers standing in the terminal soliciting travelers may offer better deals, beware: these people are unlicensed drivers. This means they are not driving a standard yellow cab with a medallion on the roof, and may use unregulated (read: potentially rigged) meters, and are not required to follow the rules and regulations that govern licensed cabbies.

IRPORT: BUSES

If economizing is a concern, you should consider taking the bus into the city. Carey Transportation buses depart for the city every 30 minutes from 6am to 12am from all terminals at both the airports. The fare is $13 from JFK Airport and $10 from LaGuardia Airport. The trip takes about an hour to get to Port Authority Bus Terminal on 42nd Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. The bus subsequently stops at a string of hotels before terminating at the Carey Ticket Office at 125 Park across the street from Grand Central Terminal. Gray Line also operates shuttles from all terminals to specific locations in Manhattan for a one-way fare of $16 from JFK Airport and $13 from LaGuardia Airport. New Jersey Transit's Airport Express Bus (number 300) leaves from each terminal every 20 to 30 minutes all day and terminates at Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan. Fare is $7 one-way or $12 round-trip and the trip takes 30 to 60 minutes. Olympic Trails has two buses that serve Manhattan from all Newark Airport terminals. One goes to the World Trade Center, leaving every 20 to 30 minutes from 6am to 8pm weekdays and from 7am to 8pm on other days. The other bus serves Newark Airport terminals from 5am to 11pm, with stops near Grand Central Terminal and Pennsylvania Station. Fare for either bus is $7 one-way and $12 round-trip. Inquiries can be made at the Ground Transportation Desk.

IRPORT: CAR AND LIMO SERVICES

If price is not a concern, using a limousine service (usually just a plain old car) allows you to hire a car in advance that will meet you at the airport when your flight is scheduled to arrive. This option is more expensive than a taxi—the trip from JFK Airport to Times Square will run you about $57 plus tolls and tip; the same trip from LaGuardia Airport will cost $47, plus tolls and tip. A few limo services are American Dream Car and Limo Service (212) 427-2648, Jaffa Express Limo Service (212) 289-7272, and Jerusalem Car Service (212) 996-2100. You can book in advance or call them from phones at the Ground Transportation Desk.

IRPORT: RENTAL CARS

For the truly adventurous who intend on driving during their time in New York, all major car rental companies have reservation desks at JFK Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Airport airports. Hertz, Dollar Rent A Car, Avis, and National Car Rental have locations at all three airports. Enterprise and Budget service JFK and LaGuardia airports, and Alamo services Newark Airport.

IRPORT: ALTERNATIVE TRANSIT

New Jersey Transit's Airlink bus (number 302) travels to Pennsylvania Station in Newark Airport. From there you can catch a PATH or Amtrak train to New York and many other destinations. PATH trains run 24 hours a day between New York and New Jersey. Amtrak trains are more expensive, but go directly to Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan. Airlink buses leave each Newark Airport terminal every 20 to 30 minutes and the journey takes 15 to 30 minutes. The fare is $4 and requires exact change.

Delta Airlines operates a water shuttle from the LaGuardia Airport Marine Air Terminal to the East 34th Street Pier and Wall Street Pier 11, with a shuttle bus from the air terminals to the Marine Air Terminal. The water shuttle leaves weekdays hourly from 7:45am to 10:45pm and from 3:45pm to 6:45pm. and takes less time that ground transportation. The fare is $20 one-way and $30 round-trip.

OMMON-SENSE PRECAUTIONS

New York is a big city, both in terms of area and number of people who live, work, and visit here. While most New Yorkers are good people who will help you out and are happy to give directions and such, there are certain unsavory characters around. Most tourists fear being mugged, assaulted, or otherwise physically harmed, but there are simple precautions you can take to prevent this by knowing how to take care of yourself.

Do not bring to New York anything that you cannot replace, i.e. expensive jewelry, watches, and fur coats. If you do choose to wear expensive jewelry here, cover it up when you are on the street or subway. When taking money out to pay for the subway or a hotdog, don't flash it around. Instead, keep some money in your pocket separate from your wallet for these kinds of small expenditures.

Wearing an "I Love New York" T-shirt and an earnest expression on your face sends out signals of "tourist" to potential muggers. Keep your handbag, cameras and video recorders slung over the front of your body, where you can keep a hand and an eye on them, especially on the bus and subway. Walk confidently, as if you know where you are going, and avoid wandering around with your neck craned skyward to gawk at the tall buildings. This is unsafe not only because you look like a tourist, but it also decreases your awareness of movement and people directly around you. However, don't be shy of asking people on the street for directions—New Yorkers are generally happy to help.

On the subway it's best to avoid eye-contact with anyone who looks threatening. I suppose we can all look threatening at times, which means, sadly, that everyone on the subway avoids eye-contact with everyone else. Most New Yorkers also turn a deaf ear and blind eye to the beggars on the streets and the subways who sometimes badger those who seem to have interest in their plight.

ISABLED IN NEW YORK

Having a physical disability in New York City can suck. Major museums, hotels, and department stores are accessible, but a lot of places are not, ADA not-withstanding.

Riding the subway is almost entirely out of the question for those in wheelchairs, since there are very few stations with elevators. In the long term, the MTA plans to address this, but current conditions do not welcome the handicapped traveller. Most buses are accessible—there's a wheelchair lift at the back entrance that the driver lowers. (Should a problem occur, get the driver's badge number and tell a police officer immediately.) There is a reduced-fare card for handicapped bus and subway patrons; call (212) 878-7294 for details.