Cobblehop / Guides / New York City without a car: a visitor's guide to transit

New York City without a car: a visitor's guide to transit

Quick answer: Use the subway for most trips: $3 a ride, tap a contactless card or phone, and it runs 24/7. Buses fill the gaps. The Staten Island Ferry has no fare, NYC Ferry is $5, and the LIRR and Metro-North go to the suburbs. Tap the same card every time and you'll never pay more than $35 in 7 days on the subway and local buses.

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By Cobblehop · November 7, 2026

The subway

The subway reaches Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx, and it runs 24 hours a day. Lines are named by letters and numbers. Two things catch visitors out:

Uptown or downtown: many stations have separate entrances for each direction, so check the sign before you pay.
Express or local: express trains skip stops. If your stop is a small one, take the local.

Late at night some lines stop running or change their stops. Got on going the wrong way? Stay on to a station where you can cross to the other direction; many local stations have no free crossover.

Source: MTA: riding the subway.

Buses

Local buses are $3 and stop every few blocks. Select Bus Service (SBS) buses make fewer stops; tap at any door. Express buses into Manhattan are $7.25. From 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., you can ask a local bus operator to let you off between stops.

Source: MTA: subway and bus fares; MTA: riding the bus.

Paying

Tap a contactless card, phone or watch, or an OMNY Card. One free transfer within 2 hours between subway and bus. After 12 paid rides in 7 days with the same card or phone, the rest of those 7 days are free. MetroCards are no longer sold. Up to three children under 44 inches ride free with a paying adult. More in how to pay for the NYC subway.

Source: MTA: subway and bus fares; MTA: tap and ride; MTA: MetroCard.

Airports

JFK: AirTrain to Jamaica, then the E or the LIRR. $11.75 by subway. See JFK to Manhattan.
LaGuardia: the Q70 LaGuardia Link bus, which has no fare, to the subway at Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av. See LaGuardia to Manhattan.
Newark: in New Jersey. NJ Transit from Penn Station, about 30 minutes, $17.25 with the AirTrain Newark fee. Cobblehop doesn't plan Newark trips step by step yet.

Source: JFK Airport: public transportation; LaGuardia Airport: public transportation; NJ Transit: Newark Airport.

Trains beyond the subway

LIRR: to Long Island, from Penn Station and Grand Central Madison.
Metro-North: to the Hudson Valley and Connecticut, from Grand Central.
Inside the city a CityTicket is $5.25 off-peak or $7.25 peak. Buy in the TrainTime app or at a machine before you board.
PATH to Hoboken, Jersey City and Newark: $3.25, tap a contactless bank card or phone (not an OMNY Card).

Not sure which station? See Penn Station vs Grand Central.

Source: MTA: LIRR and Metro-North fares; PATH: fares.

Ferries and the tram

Staten Island Ferry: no fare, 24/7, with views of the Statue of Liberty.
Statue City Cruises: the only way onto Liberty Island and Ellis Island, from Battery Park.
NYC Ferry: $5 a ride along the East River and beyond. Pay in its app or at the landing; OMNY doesn't work.
Roosevelt Island Tram: $3, tap to pay, from East 60th Street and Second Avenue.

Source: Staten Island Ferry; Statue City Cruises: FAQ; NYC Ferry: tickets; RIOC: Roosevelt Island Tram.

Step-free travel

Fewer than a third of subway stations are fully step-free, including Times Sq-42 St, Grand Central-42 St and 34 St-Penn Station. Elevators do break, so check before you go. See step-free subway tips.

Source: MTA station accessibility data (data.ny.gov).

Using Cobblehop in New York

Type or say where you're going, in your own words and your own language, and Cobblehop gives you one clear route: the subway, bus, train or ferry to take, where to board and when it leaves. Live times appear where the agencies publish them. You can ask if your line is running, or about an elevator, and get what the MTA posts. More on Cobblehop in New York.

New York without a car: common questions

Is the NYC subway easy for tourists?

Yes, once you know two things: check whether the entrance is uptown or downtown before you pay, and take a local train if your stop is a small one.

Do I need a MetroCard?

No. MetroCards aren't sold anymore. Tap a contactless card or phone, or buy an OMNY Card at a station machine.

What's the cheapest way to get around New York?

The subway and local buses at $3 a ride, with one free transfer within 2 hours. The weekly fare cap means you never pay more than $35 in 7 days if you tap the same card or phone.

Is there a free ferry in New York?

Yes. The Staten Island Ferry has no fare and runs 24/7.

Can I get to Newark Airport by train?

Yes. NJ Transit runs from New York Penn Station to Newark Airport station in about 30 minutes, $17.25 with the AirTrain Newark fee included.

Official sources

Cobblehop is independent and isn't affiliated with these agencies or operators. Check their pages for the latest schedules and service changes:

Published November 7, 2026. Fares and services were checked against the MTA, Port Authority, NYC DOT, NYC Ferry, RIOC and NJ Transit pages in November 2026. Service changes, so check Cobblehop for live times before you go.

Plan your trip in Cobblehop. Say where you're going and get one clear route, a leave-in countdown and a buzz before your stop.

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