by Eugene Teslya

Created on: March 10, 2010   Last Updated: March 12, 2010

New York City is not the largest city in the world, yet the Big Apple is so popular that in many countries it is often mistaken for a capital, if not of the US then at least of a great Empire state. Abundant night life, myriad of pop- and cultural events and exhibits make New York a popular destination not only for the foreign tourists but also for numerous eager pilgrims from other states. Most of the action is packed in a heart of the island. Whether it’s a time-honored Madame Tussauds Wax museum, or fairly new addition on the block – “Ripley's Believe It or Not” - the New York City's “good stuff” is located on or around an intersection of Broadway and 42nd street.

Unless you indulge yourself with a short stay and booked a room at Hilton or Sheraton around the corner - sooner or later you will have to deal with one of the two biggest challenges in New York. Here in the Big Apple, also known as a “melting pot”, everybody speaks a foreign language, yet no one speaks yours, unless it’s English. Second challenge is a public transportation – it is there, but when you are in a hurry and you need it the most – you may get a feeling that walking would be a faster and more reliable alternative.

The following list of New York City’s means transportation may save you a few bucks, probably will shave off a few minutes from the trip and will definitely minimize the frustration. Remember, that educated traveler is a happy traveler.

Taxi
New Yorkers, who rarely use their own cars and get to and from the offices by bus and subway (the tube), prefer the yellow cabs over the weekends and during the evening hours. Taxi is affordable and somewhat reliable; you may find the driver's skills a bit daredevil-ish, so get ready to be honked a few times. But if you notice that the taxi is standing and your cab driver is honking vigorously,  congratulations, you are in the infamous New York gridlock. Pay up and get out – gridlock is best experienced from the outside. Walk or take a subway, you will get there faster.

Bus
Bus is a cheaper and slower alternative to a taxi. Even though there is an attempt to make dedicated bus lines throughout the city, buses are still prone to the heavy traffic. They stop on almost every corner, convenient trait when you want to get on the bus, but not so great when you are already on and now would like to get somewhere, and rather soon.

Subway
Immune to the traffic above, subway

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