Our Stop

Everyday, Ben and I take the subway to go... everywhere. To get to work, Ben takes the 2/3 line south to Penn Station where he gets on the Long Island Railroad (LIRR). I take the 2/3 north to 116th Street where I hop on a crosstown bus.

New Yorkers know how lucky we are to live one block from public transportation. One block! It takes minutes to walk to the subway.

Some people live a 10, 15, or even 20 minute walk from public transportation. A 20 minute walk twice a day in 100 degree heat, rain, or snow can exhaust even the toughest commuter. Trust me.

I definitely couldn't hike 20 minutes in heels on a Friday night, and that's a fact. I tried several times. Those attempts usually ended with me hobbling or sitting on the sidewalk, in pain, complaining about my feet while Ben begrudgingly hailed a cab.

Not a perfect ending to a fun night on the town.

Below is a picture of me at "our stop." Our ole, faithful 96th Street and Broadway stop on the 2/3 line. How I love thee.

* FYI tourists... never stop to take a picture immediately after walking through a subway turnstile. New Yorkers will scowl, curse, or bulldoze right over you. Ben took this picture only after we surveyed the area and waited for a break in the flow of commuter traffic. I sprinted as soon as the camera clicked.

Fast Food

We're starving. We don't (I mean "Ben doesn't") know what to cook for dinner. We want some grub immediately.

What do we do?

Eat from a food truck.

Our favorite is the Super Tacos food truck at 96th Street between Broadway and West End Avenue.

Definitely try the burritos.

They're the best.

Getting Around

In the last post, I wrote about how much everyday items cost in New York. Today, I write about how much it costs to get around the city. I'm talking about common forms of transportation like subways and buses and taxis, not rickshaws or trams or ferries. Look here if you're interested in that.

To ride the buses and subways...
A single ride costs $2.50.
A 7 day Metrocard with unlimited rides costs $29.
And, a 30 day Metrocard with unlimited rides costs $104.

I buy the 30 day Metrocard because I use it four to five times a day. Visitors often like the 7 day Metrocard if they plan to use public transportation a lot. If you don't know what to do then just put some money on a Metrocard and use it until it runs out and needs to be refilled.

Subways and buses are fixed fares no matter how far you go, so that's the cheapest way to get around the city. Unless, you're a tourist and want to see all of the sights.  Then, do one of the 48 hour "hop on, hop off" buses. Trust me. I know.

Ben and I usually take taxis when splitting the cost with other riders, it's late, we're exhausted, or I wore high heels that left me immobile by the end of the night. Sometimes, I slip in a few extra cab rides when my Carrie Bradshaw side surfaces and I have some extra cash. Consider it a guilty pleasure.

The interesting thing about taxis is how the costs really add up if taking them a lot.

If we hop into a taxi and go from our apartment in the Upper West Side to our friends' apartment in Queens exactly 11.6 miles away, then we will pay between a $24 and $30 (depending on traffic) cab fare.

If we jump into a taxi and go from our apartment in the Upper West Side to meet friends for brunch at The Stanton Social (which I highly recommend) in the Lower Side Side exactly 6.77 miles away, then we will pay a $25 cab fare.

If I slide into a taxi after happy hour with my colleagues on Fridays at the East End on the Upper East Side exactly 2.35 miles away, then I will pay a $10 cab fare.

I told you... it gets pricey. Still not sure? Then, check out the mother-of-all comparisons.

If Ben and I ride a bus from Chinatown in NYC to Cincinnati, Ohio exactly 637 or 724 miles away (depending on the route), then we only pay $30 for a one way ticket.

For the same price, we can go 7 miles to the Lower East Side or 637 miles to the Buckeye State.  Interesting. And, little mind boggling.

Now, you know what to do. When in the city and perhaps in doubt, depending on how fat your wallet is... you can flag down a taxi or navigate through the subways or... just foot it home (which is ultimately the cheapest form of transportation).