New York City (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [306]
One taxi can hold a maximum of four passengers (an additional passenger under the age of seven is allowed if the child sits on someone’s lap). There is no charge for extra passengers. You must pay any bridge or tunnel tolls incurred during your trip (a driver will usually pay the toll himself to keep moving quickly, but that amount will be added to the fare when the ride is over). Taxi drivers expect a 15% to 20% tip.
To avoid unhappy taxi experiences, try to know where you want to go and how to get there before you hail a cab. TIP If after naming your destination your driver asks you “the best way to go,” suggest that navigation’s also part of his job (unless you know the best way and you’re in the mood to direct the driver). If he disagrees, abandon the cab. You should assist your driver, however, by directing him to the specific cross streets of your destination (for instance, “5th Avenue and 42nd Street”), rather than the numerical address, which means nothing to drivers. Also, speak simply and clearly to make sure the driver has heard you correctly. A quick call to your destination will give you cross-street information, as will a glance at a map marked with address numbers. When you leave the cab, remember to take your receipt. It includes the cab’s medallion number, which can help you track the cabbie down in the event that you lose your possessions in the cab or if, after the fact, you want to report an unpleasant ride.
Taxis can be extremely difficult (if not impossible) to find in many parts of Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. As a result, you may have no choice but to call a car service. Always determine the fee beforehand when using a car service sedan; a 10%–15% tip is customary above that.
Taxi Companies Carmel Car Service (212/666–6666 or 866/666–6666 | www.carmelcarservice.com). Dial 7 Car Service (212/777–7777 | www.dial7.com). London Towncars (212/988–9700 or 800/221–4009 | www.londontowncars.com).
TRAIN TRAVEL
Metro-North Railroad trains take passengers from Grand Central Terminal to points north of New York City, both in New York State and Connecticut. Amtrak trains from across the United States arrive at Penn Station. For trains from New York City to Long Island and New Jersey, take the Long Island Railroad and New Jersey Transit, respectively; both operate from Penn Station. The PATH trains offer service to Newark, Jersey City, and Hoboken. All of these trains generally run on schedule, although occasional delays occur.
Information Amtrak (800/872–7245 | www.amtrak.com). Long Island Rail Road (718/217–5477 | www.mta.info/lirr). Metro-North Railroad (212/532–4900 | www.mta.info/mnr). New Jersey Transit (973/275–5555 | www.njtransit.com). PATH (800/234–7284 | www.pathrail.com).
Train Stations Grand Central Terminal (Park Ave. at E. 42nd St., Midtown East | 10017 | 212/340–2583 | www.grandcentralterminal.com). Penn Station (W. 31st to W. 33rd Sts., between 7th and 8th Aves., Midtown West | 10001 | 212/630–6401).
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Communications | Disabilities and Accessibility | Gay and Lesbian Travel | Kids in New York | Media | Money | Restrooms | Safety | Senior-Citizen Travel | Sports and the Outdoors | Students in New York | Taxes | Tipping | Visitor Information
COMMUNICATIONS
INTERNET
You can check your email or surf the Internet at cafés, copy centers, libraries, and most hotels. By far the best equipped and probably most convenient is Cyber Café in Times Square, which has dozens of computers plus scanners, color printers, and camera chip readers; it’s open from 8 am to 11 pm on weekdays and 11 am to 11 pm on