Manhattan is the heart of New York and over 1.5 million people live on this island which is approximately 20 kilometers (13.5 miles) long and 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) wide.
It is very easy to find your way in the more central parts of Manhattan because the city is laid out into a very clear grid pattern with perfectly straight streets. The streets are in numerical order starting from the south and going north and from east to west. Fifth Avenue splits the island into eastern and western halves. An address in the east side can therefore be "12 East 31st Street" which means that you should head to number 12 on 31st Street in the east side of Manhattan.
Walking
Be sure and carry a good map.
If you want to experience New York up close you should walk a lot in the city. Be sure that you have good, comfortable walking shoes and take along some bandages. It is very easy that you walk around all day every day during your visit to the city which can give you sad feet but a happy heart.
It is very easy to complement your walk with a subway or taxi if you want to go greater distances.
Taxi
A sales tax of 8% plus an additional tip of 15-20% should be added to the price.
Use the seatbelts that can sometimes be hard to find.
Only use legitimate taxis.
The efficiency, speed and prices of the New York taxi system are superior. That is primarily because Manhattan is so concentrated and customers are always available. Prices begin at $2.50 and count on your taxi fare being between $5-15 plus sales tax and tip depending on how far away your need to go.
Something one notes quickly is that no-one sits in the front seat if unless it is absolutely unavoidable. If you are alone or with two more people—you are all expected to sit in the back seat.
When you need to get from the airport to your hotel there usually is a taxi stand where a taxi coordinator gives you a fixed price but you jump into the taxi. That is so naïve tourists won’t get ripped off. Keep in mind, however, that you will have to pay any bridge or toll way fees in addition to the usual fare
Subway
If possible avoid subways late at night and in the more seedy areas.
New York’s subway system is a great value and very efficient. A ticket costs $2.00 and includes any transfers to other lines within two hours as long as you don’t leave the subway stations. You can even purchase 1-day or 7-day cards with which you can travel without limits on the system. These cards are valid even on busses so it might really pay to use them. One-day cards cost $7.00 and one-week cards cost $24.00.
Map of the subway system
Information on current subway prices
Bus
The bus network is run by the MTA—Metropolitan Transportation Authority—the same service that runs the subway system. The fare is $2.
Car
You can rent a car but it is not recommended if you are going to be based outside of Manhattan during you visit. Rush hour traffic is very heavy and it is almost always very difficult to find a parking place in the inner city. Besides, it would not be so easy to experience the city while you sit and swear at the taxi drivers.
