How To Use The New York Subway (Tourist Tips For Beginners)

Last Updated on 8th June 2024

This post about how to use the New York subway for beginners contains affiliate links.

Are you planning a trip to NYC for the first time but you’re not sure how to use the NY subway? This guide is for you!

One of the most frequently asked questions that I receive in my New York Facebook Group is “how does the New York subway work?” and if you’ve never experienced New York’s underground station system before, I can totally understand all the confusion!

Thankfully, I’m no stranger to using the city’s underground transport system, which is why I’ve put together this (hopefully!) useful guide to help you navigate the New York subway.

In my guide below, you’ll learn how to pay for the subway in New York, helpful tips and apps that you can use to make your experience much easier, New York subway fares and charges, and I’ve even attached some downloadable maps straight from the NYC MTA website that you can download to your device and use when you’re in the city!

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New York subway system – overview

According to the New York City MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority), there are 472 subway stations, across 25 routes, spanning more than 665 miles of tracks, making the New York subway system the largest and busiest network in the USA. The NYC subway system runs 24/7, 365 days a year, unlike the transport systems in many other major cities in the world!

It’s one of the best and easiest ways to get around New York City and while many tourists can feel overwhelmed and apprehensive about using the NY subway system, I’m hopeful that my guide below will help you feel more at ease!

Please remember, that this guide about how to ride the New York subway is for tourists, so all the information below is based purely on the experience of using the subway for tourists to the city and not locals, which is why I haven’t included every type of MetroCard etc, as it won’t be relevant to most tourists!

New York subway downloadable maps

Head to the links below to download a copy of the New York MTA subway maps to your device. These maps are also displayed on large posters inside many subway stations in New York City. Unfortunately, the maps are not available to purchase as a physical copy, but you can download and print out the maps below using your own device.

How much does the New York subway cost?

A single journey on the New York subway costs $2.90 per ride. This is the price if you use contactless payment on your phone, credit or debit card or if you have a MetroCard (note that the MetroCard must be topped up with at least two rides’ worth – $5.80 – otherwise it costs $3.25 for a single use MetroCard that cannot be topped up again).

How to pay for the NYC subway – OMNY or MetroCard

There are two main methods that you can use to pay for the New York City subway; the more well-known MetroCard and the newer (introduced in 2019) OMNY contactless system.

In the section below, I’ve provided a detailed (but hopefully understandable!) insight into each of these payment methods so you can determined which option is best for you!

One thing to note is that the MetroCards will eventually be rolled out and completely replaced by the OMNY payment system For now, when visiting NYC, you can still use the MetroCards and I will be sure to update this guide with relevant information once the MetroCards become completely obsolete.

MetroCard

The New York City MetroCard is a thin, plastic card that is the same size as a credit card. It can be purchased from a MetroCard vending machine in most subway stations in NYC (more on that below).

Once you have purchased a MetroCard from a vending machine, you’ll see that they’re super easy to use in order to pay for your subway journey. You simply need to hold your MetroCard so that the black magnetic strip is facing towards you (see the picture above) and then swipe the card through the slot at the turnstile inside the subway station and then when the reader acknowledges the card, you can walk straight through!

If you’re travelling to New York as a family, you’ll be relieved to know that you can pay for up to four people using the same payment method, so you can use the OMNY contactless methods (e.g. credit/debit card, Apple Pay or smart watch) or you can swipe the same Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard (but not the Unlimited MetroCards) as each person goes through the turnstiles at the subway station.

Top tip: You can also use the MetroCard on the Roosevelt Island Tramway as it costs the same as a single-ride subway journey ($2.90)

Types of MetroCard

Pay-Per-Ride
7-day Unlimited or 30-day Unlimited
Single Ride

There are also other types of MetroCards available, such as the AirTrain JFK 10-Trip card and the AirTrain JFK 30-Day Unlimited Ride card, but it’s very unlikely that you’ll use these as a tourist in New York City for just a few days, so I haven’t included them in this guide.

Pay-Per-Ride

You must purchase a MetroCard (for $1) and then top the card up with at least the cost of two journeys ($5.80). This can be done at any MetroCard vending machine inside the subway stations. You can top the card up with any amount, so if you’re travelling as a family of four, for example, you can add enough money on the card to cover the cost of multiple journeys for all four people.

7-day Unlimited ($34) or 30-day Unlimited ($132)

If you’re planning to use the subway at least a dozen times during your trip to New York (even if you’re only there for 4 or 5 days), then it might be worth getting a 7-day Unlimited MetroCard. This card enables you to swipe as many times as you want for up to 7 days and is worth purchasing if you plan to use the subway at least 12 times ($34 for the cost of the 7-day card ÷ $2.90 for one subway ride = 11.72, which is the equivalent of 12 subway journeys).

The 30-day Unlimited MetroCard works in the same way as the 7-day card and is worth purchasing if you plan to ride the subway at least 46 times within a 30-day period.

Single Ride

A Single Ride MetroCard can be purchased if you only intend to use the subway for one, one-way ride. These cards are single-use only and cannot be refilled, so they’re useful if you don’t want to load a MetroCard with the $5.80 minimum, but they’re probably not very useful if you plan on taking more than one journey.

Find out more about the MetroCard on the NYC MTA website.

Where to buy a MetroCard

You can purchase a MetroCard at almost any NYC subway station using the MetroCard vending machines.

The machines are pretty archaic and can be a little confusing to use at first, but I’ve included step-by-step instructions below on how to choose the right MetroCard for you!

Find a MetroCard vending machine inside your nearest subway station.
Choose the “MetroCard” option on-screen; you can choose to “get new card” if it’s your first time purchasing one or you can select “refill your card”.
Let’s say you’re purchasing a MetroCard for the first time; select “get new card” and then choose whether you want to purchase a “Regular MetroCard” or an “Unlimited Card”. The regular MetroCards give you example amounts that you can load onto your new MetroCard (such as $11, $22 and $39). In order to determine how much money to load onto your card, you should work out how many times you think you’ll use the subway (of course, this is hard to predict if you don’t know how many journeys you’ll make, but remember that one subway journey costs $2.90). If you choose a lower amount, you can always top up your MetroCard at another vending machine if you run out of money on the card.
You will then be prompted to pay (remember that you will be charged $1 for the initial purchase of your first MetroCard) by cash or credit card (not every vending machine will accept cash/coins, so be sure to bring your debit/credit card in order to pay). If you’re paying by credit/debit card, you will be asked to provide your billing zip code, but this is only relevant for credit cards issued in the US; if you have an international credit/debit card, you can just enter “99999” as the zip code instead.
Once you have paid, the machine will issue your MetroCard and then you can go ahead and use it!

OMNY – One Metro New York

Unlike the MetroCard, you do not need to purchase an OMNY card in order to use the OMNY payment system. In simple terms, OMNY is the city’s contactless payment system that can be used across the entire public transport system in New York City. You can pay with your contactless debit or credit card, smart watch, Apple Pay, or you can obtain a physical OMNY card which also allows you to tap and go.

How to use OMNY on the New York subway

OMNY is super easy to use as you just need to tap your contactless credit/debit card, smart watch or Apple Pay when prompted at the OMNY readers at the subway turnstiles. It’s arguably much easier than using a MetroCard as you don’t need to go to a vending machine to purchase a physical card; you can literally just tap your phone or credit/debit card and go!

When using the OMNY payment system, you can benefit from free transfers which involves using the same credit/debit card or contactless payment device for both legs of your trip in order to get a free transfer.

OMNY also has a similar system in place to the 7-day Unlimited MetroCard in that if you pay for 12 journeys using the same card or contactless device within a 7-day period, then all additional rides within that same week are free. Unlike the MetroCard, you don’t need to pre-pay for a card in order to take advantage of the free trips.

Similarly to the Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard, you can also use the same payment method for up to four people on a single trip, but you will need to remember to tap your chosen payment method (e.g. credit/debit card, Apple Pay, smart watch etc) for each person that is travelling with you.

However, if you’re using a new payment method for the first time (such as Apple Pay, for example), you cannot pay for multiple people at once as the payment system needs to have a record of the payment method first. Once you have completed your first journey, you can then use the same payment method for multiple people.

Top tip: to keep things simple, I would recommend using a different card/payment method for each person that you’re travelling with, but it is handy to know that you can use the same method of payment if you’re travelling with children, for example.

Remember, you do not need to purchase a physical OMNY card in order to use their contactless payment system; simply tap your smart phone, watch or contactless debit/credit card and go!

Find out more about how to pay for multiple people and how the OMNY contactless system works on their website.

Useful apps to download to use the NY subway

There are numerous apps that you can download and use to help you plan out your journeys on the NY subway. From taking the AirTrain and subway from the airport to your hotel, to planning your sightseeing route around the city’s major attractions, the apps linked below are super useful in helping to plan your subway journeys!

Google Maps
New York Subway MTA app – for iPhone / for Android
Citymapper – for iPhone / for Android

Is it easy to use the New York subway?

If you’re a first-time visitor to New York City and you don’t have a lot of experience with using public transport systems in major cities, then it’s fair to say that using the New York subway can be a little intimidating at first.

However, hopefully the information provided throughout this guide will help you to feel more comfortable and once you actually experience the subway for the first time in person, it should all make sense.

Is the New York subway safe?

One of the major concerns that many people have about using the subway in New York is regarding safety and while of course there can be incidents and certain unnerving people inside the subway stations and riding the trains, for the most part, the NY subway is just as safe as anywhere else in the city.

It goes without saying that you should always remain as vigilant as possible and remember to keep your belongings on you at all times and in your direct line of sight. Use your common sense and avoid anything suspicious-looking and report anything usual to station staff and you should be good to go!

In my own personal experience, I have never encountered anything untoward while riding the subway in NYC, but I have witnessed a few questionable characters and as long as you avoid eye contact and just remember to keep your wits about you, you should have no problems.

Millions of local New Yorkers use the subway every single day so you’ll be surrounded by people who have ridden the subway hundreds, if not thousands of times!

Is the NYC subway a good idea for families?

While I can understand the apprehension of riding the subway with kids if you’ve never experienced it for yourself, it’s perfectly possible (and actually a very good idea!) to use the subway as a family in New York City.

As I mentioned above, millions of locals use the subway every single day, and that includes families with children who are travelling to and from work, school and more, so it’s entirely possible (and safe) to ride the subway with your family when visiting NYC.

Is the subway the best way to get around New York City?

The subway is undoubtedly one of the best ways to get around New York City. While I’m a huge advocate for walking around the city as often as possible to ensure that you see and experience as much as possible, walking absolutely everywhere isn’t really feasible, especially if you’re only in the city for a few days and are limited on time, so using the subway is definitely a great option.

The subway system runs across all five boroughs of New York City (Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Staten Island and Queens), so you’re covered for pretty much anywhere you want to go within the city.

What time does the subway stop running?

The NYC subway system operates on a 24-hour, 7-day a week service, all year round (even on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year!), so if you’re bar hopping in the West Village until 2 AM and you need to get back to your hotel in Times Square, there will be an overnight service that you can take advantage of!

While the subway does run all through the night, it’s important to note that the trains are less frequent in the middle of the night than during the day. You can check the full schedules of every single subway line in NYC on the MTA website.

What happens if you get on the wrong subway train?

As a first time user, getting on the wrong train is definitely possible (I still accidentally get on the wrong train occasionally and I’ve used the NY subway many times!) and if this happens, the best thing to do is – not panic first of all! – and then simply get off the train at the next station and then jump on the next available train going in the direction that you’re heading.

One of the best things to remember is that trains marked “Downtown” are heading in a general southern direction towards Lower Manhattan/Brooklyn, whereas trains marked “Uptown” are heading north towards Uptown Manhattan/the Bronx.

New York subway system explained – conclusion

Hopefully, this guide about how to ride the NYC subway has helped ease your worries a bit and hopefully you’ll feel more confident paying for and riding the subway in New York City! If there’s anything I’ve missed out or if you’d like even more information included in the guide, please leave a comment below or send me a message via my New York Facebook Group!

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How To Use The New York Subway (Tourist Tips For Beginners)

Do you have any other helpful tips to add to this guide about how to ride the NYC subway? Let me know in the comments or in my New York Facebook Group!