New Yorkers are known for always being on the go, so of course there are countless ways to getting around in this city. From black cars to buses to the infamous subway, you’ll never find yourself stranded on Manhattan Island.
Trying to figure out the quickest, easiest, or most scenic method of getting to your all-important Sunday brunch reservation on time? We at Platinum are here to help.

1. The Subway: $2.75 per ride or $116.50 per month

Even after the controversial fare hike in 2015 from $2.50 to $2.75—and another rumored hike from $2.75 to $3 in 2017—the subway is still the most efficient way to travel within and between boroughs.

With real-time updates on the MTA website, subway map apps on your phone, and high-tech On the Go travel kiosks in many stations, it’s easy to get info on train schedules and delays. Just make sure to pad your travel time and have a book or headphones handy in case you get stuck on the tracks.

2. The Bus: $2.75 per ride or $116.50 per month

What’s great about the bus is you can use either cash or your MetroCard to pay, and what’s even greater is that if you pay your fare with MetroCard, you may transfer free from local bus-to-subway, subway-to-local bus, or local bus-to-local bus as long as you do it within two hours of your first boarding.
Having cell signal and natural light on your ride is nice, but be wary: buses can often run way off schedule due to crazy New York traffic.

3. Taxi: Initial charge of $2.50, plus $0.50 per 1/5 mile or $0.50 per 60 seconds in slow traffic/when the vehicle is stopped

Even if you didn’t grow up in NYC, you know what an NYC taxi cab looks like. The iconic yellow cars are a convenient way to get around the city, with drivers who know the ins and outs of New York streets like the back of their hands. And with the addition of green cabs, which can only pick up in the outer boroughs but will drop you off at any destination, it’s fairly easy to hail a taxi wherever you are (unless it’s raining, of course).

Pro tip: Definitely take a cab when you’re going from Manhattan to JFK, or the other way around. With a flat rate of $52 plus tolls, it’s a cost-effective and much more relaxing alternative to riding the A train deep into Queens.

4. Uber (or other black car services): Base fare of $2.55, with $0.35 per minute and $1.75 per mile (subject to change)

But why bother raising your hand in the air to hail a cab when you can do it through an app? With car services like Uber, Lyft, and Gett, and car sharing companies like Zipcar or Car2go, you can enjoy your ride to work or home without having to fumble for money at the end.

Apps like Uber and Lyft have made it even cheaper to get around the city by car with services like UberPool or Lyft Line, which cut the cost of your ride by up to 60% by sharing it with others who are going the same way.
Beware of surge pricing, though: if it’s raining, a holiday, or you’re trying to request a ride at the same time and in the same place as everyone else—like the Lower East Side at 2AM on a Saturday—be prepared to pay two or even three times the amount of a regular ride, or find another way to get home.

5. CitiBike: $12 per day, $24 for three days, or $14.95 a month with annual membership

With hundreds of CitiBike stations conveniently located in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and even Jersey City, and a convenient app to tell you where they are, biking through New York is a healthy, green, and money-saving alternative to taking cars or public transportation.

Nothing beats being able to see the sights and hear the sounds of the city on your commute. After all, isn’t it all about the journey, not the destination?

For more information on travel and transportation in New York City, check out Platinum Properties today.