You can buy or add credit to your MetroCard at any station, either by using a machine or at a ticket booth. Senior tourists pay the same rate as adults. Children who do not exceed 3 foot 7 inches in height can travel on the subway for free, regardless of their age. This is handy if you plan on using the subway frequently. There is also an Unlimited Ride MetroCard available for 7 days that costs $33 plus $1 for the card itself. Note that the destination doesn’t matter: it’s $2.75 however far you travel. If you buy a Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard (MetroCard with a balance), you only pay $2.75 per ride. You can buy a New York subway pass, this is called a MetroCard. On this map, you can even see the trains running. There’s also a live MTA subway map available online.

You can also see if there are any delays or power outages that may affect your journey. To make travelling even easier, several stations now have interactive maps: large touch screens that can help with navigating. They will guide you to an alternative route. Always read the notices carefully that hang at stations. Note: The schedules can change a lot during weekends due to planned construction works. All stations are clearly marked with the entrance to the track heading north (Uptown and Queens) or south (Downtown and Brooklyn). Once you’ve figured out which line you need to take, you can head to the nearest subway station. If you need to travel to New Jersey, check PATH Train.

Local trains stop at all stops, express trains stop at a few stops. If the stop has a black dot it’s a local train, if it has a white dot it’s an express train. On the map, you can find your destination and the closest subway stop. Free maps are also available at many of the stations. You can download my free Eric’s New York app for an offline map on your phone or download one here as a PDF.

Firstly, you’ll need a subway map to give you an overview of all of the trains and stations.

Nyc trains