The two main types of public transportation in New York City are the subway and the bus.
Public transportation in New York City is very convenient and if you spend some time before the trip to learn how it works, you will feel very comfortable.
New York City Subway
The subway in New York City is used by everyone. Given the cost of parking and the small number of parking lots, the subway is the fastest and most reliable way to get around, so the crowd in the New York City subway is pretty decent. Of course, as always, people are different, but unless you choose to explore the South Bronx or Harlem at night, there are no surprises. Stick to the same rules as if you were riding the subway in your own country, and be vigilant.
You can use the MetroCard for travel on the subway. You can buy a MetroCard at a vending machine (some of them are in Russian) or at the window of a “live person. There are no zones in the New York subway, so there is no difference in price, whether you go one or ten stops.
How much does it cost to ride the New York subway? One trip costs $2.75. You can pay for several rides at once, so you don’t waste time refilling your Metrocard every time you go down the subway. If you decide to explore all the sights on your own, it makes sense to buy the unlimited MetroCard option ($30 for 7 days). For a detailed description of the MetroCard, prices, where it can be used, etc., see the website of the MTA, the organization responsible for public transportation in New York City.
It is also important to know the following about the New York City subway:
weekend and weekday train schedules are different: if you decide, for example, to look at Brighton Beach, and you get there from Manhattan, you can get on the B and Q lines on weekdays, but on weekends and holidays you can only take the Q;
there are express trains that do not stop at every stop – as a rule, the word Express will be written on the subway car, but there is no guarantee, so if you happen to get on such a train, get off at the next stop and ride in the opposite direction, you do not need to pay again for such fare;
the direction of the train that goes to upper Manhattan is Uptown, to lower Manhattan is Downtown;
Subway platforms in New York City can be very hot in the summer, but all subway cars are air conditioned.
Buses in New York City
The MTA website has detailed information about routes and fares. To ride the bus, you need to have the exact fare without change (only coins): when you get on the bus, throw your change into the machine next to the driver. It’s also useful to know that the bus does not always stop at every stop. To get the bus to stop, press the “stop request” button, or if there is no such button, look for signs with instructions, such as “to request a stop, please press here”. Note that the MetroCard is also accepted on MTA buses (if you are going to New Jersey on NJ Transit, the MetroCard is not accepted).