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Guide to getting around town

amNY.com

From the airports
Taxi: It may not be the most cost effective, but the most convenient way to get into town is to collect your bags and get in line for a taxi. From John F. Kennedy Airport, taxis are required to charge a flat fee to Manhattan of $45 plus any tolls. According to the Taxi & Limousine Commission, drivers should not turn on the meter or add the night surcharge.

If, however, you are heading TO JFK from any point in the city, the metered rate is charged. From La Guardia Airport, visitors should expect to pay what's on the meter, plus bridge or tunnel tolls. Taxis picking up fares from La Guardia also can take groups into Manhattan.

In this case, each passenger will be required to pay a set fee as follows:

-to the East Side of Manhattan, east of Fifth Avenue, from 23rd Street to 96th Street - $7.50
-to the West Side of Manhattan, west of Fifth Avenue, from 23rd Street to 96th Street - $8.50 -to downtown Manhattan, south of 23rd Street - $9.50 From Newark International Airport, you will be asked to pay the regular metered rate of fare, plus a $15 surcharge, plus all tolls going to and returning from the airport.

Private bus.
A more economical mode of transport from the airports is a private bus service to midtown Manhattan. New York Airport service (www.nyairportservice.com) offers frequent service from the airports with stops in Manhattan to Grand Central Terminal (at 42nd Street and Park Avenue), Port Authority bus terminal (at 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue) and Penn Station (at 34th Street and Seventh Avenue). Bus stops at the airport are well marked. Fares are $12 from La Guardia and $15 from Kennedy.

AirTrain.
The newest addition to getting to and from the airports is the AirTrain, serving Kennedy Airport. This new monorail service connects air passengers with other modes of public transportation that will then take them into Manhattan. The options are the Long Island Rail Road's Jamaica Station, where passengers can get a commuter train directly to Penn Station. The AirTrain also makes stops at two subway stops -- E, J/Z subways at Jamaica Station and the A subway at Howard Beach Station. If you choose the subways, expect a long ride into Manhattan. The cost of the Air Train is $5, but then passengers also have to pay fares for the connecting subway and LIRR trains.

The subways
Get a map.
Any New Yorker will tell you that the best way to get from Point A to Point B in the city is by subway. The system is big, not always clean and can be a confusing jumble of letters and numbers for first-time riders, especially if you're not sure whether you're going uptown or down. That's why it's important to arm yourself with an official New York City Transit Authority subway map, given out free at all subway station booths. That and a Metrocard will get you a long way toward arriving at your destination. You can also go online for subway maps, schedules and more information: www.mta.nyc.ny.us/nyct/subway/index.html

What it costs.
The cost of riding the subway is $2. The Transit Authority has phased out all tokens, which riders used to drop in the turnstile to gain entry, in favor of the magnetized MetroCards. The best place to buy them is at vending machines located inside subway stations. The machines are simple to operate and most accept cash, ATM cards or credit cards. The seven-day unlimited MetroCard at $24 is a good deal. You also can pay as you ride with a regular MetroCard. To find out more MetroCard info go to www.mta.nyc.ny.us/metrocard/index.html

Swiping a MetroCard.
Swiping the MetroCard through the turnstile can be tricky. If the card isn't pulled through properly, you'll get a message instructing you to try again. Make sure the black stripe is facing you and slide with the M of MetroCard going through first. Also be sure to move the card through quickly, but not too fast, and to allow the entire card to pass through the turnstile without lifting it up too soon. For stress-free subway riding, check your map before heading to the station. Figure out if you're going east or west, uptown or downtown and identify the best route. This is important because many subway entrances are for 'uptown only' or 'downtown only' trains. Once you're on the subway, don't be afraid to ask other riders for help. Most subway riders will be more than happy to point you in the right direction.

The buses
Not the fastest. The city operates 3,700 buses throughout the five boroughs on more than 200 routes, so you'll find that you're usually within a few blocks of a bus stop. Beware. Traveling by bus in the city can be slow going. Buses stop every two to three blocks and if you're trying to get through midtown Manhattan during a big security-conscious event such as a political convention, traffic will probably be moving at a snail's pace. But if you have an afternoon with lots of time on your hands, a city bus can be a good place to view the city at a leisurely pace and in an air-conditioned environment.

What it costs. As with subways, bus rides cost $2. Payment is made as you enter the bus with a MetroCard or exact change. Don't try to pay your fare with dollar bills. The driver won't make change and you'll be standing on the sidewalk as the bus pulls away from the curb. If you pay with a MetroCard, you may transfer free from bus to subway, subway to bus, or bus to bus within two hours of the time you paid your fare. If you pay with change, ask the driver for a transfer and he or she will give you a paper transfer slip that can be used on another bus or subway car.