Tourist Guide to New York City Subways

Riding the famous - or infamous - New York City subway is one of the rituals of a visit to New York, especially for first-timers. As millions of daily commuters know, however, it can also be the cheapest and most efficient way to get around town.

But to out-of-town tourists, the New York City subway can be intimidating. Thousands of riders, each hurrying to their destination in a daily trek through the labyrinth of platforms, tunnels and stairways, have little patience for anything - especially any tourist - who gets in their way. So here are some tips to help guide a tourist through a trip on the New York City subway.

Buy a Metro card.

The days of the subway tokens have long since passed. Metro cards - small laminated cards with a magnetic strip, like a thin version of a credit card - can be loaded with any amount of money. Metro card vending machines are located at every New York City subway entrance. The machines take either cash or credit cards. Try to preload enough value onto your Metro card to cover at least a day's worth of riding. The fare is $2.25, which includes as many connections as you need to make. One person can swipe a single card for multiple passengers - taking the value of each fare off a single card. There's no need for everyone in the family to carry their own, unless you plan to travel to separate locations.

Don't jump aboard when the doors are closing.

New York City subway car doors are not like those on an elevator or the airport terminal tram, which will gently pull back if it senses someone blocking it from closing. With these doors, once the chime sounds and they begin to close, they are intent on finishing the process. The subway car doors will smash into you as they close. Many unsuspecting tourists have been left bruised by the crushing doors. Still more have found their scarf, or briefcase, or arm wedged between the doors that won't seem to open. More than likely the train won't move before you can extricate yourself, but why risk it? Wait for the next subway car.

Don't come to a stop just outside the subway doors.

It can be overwhelming when you first step off the train onto a platform teaming with commuters. But if you're not sure where you're going, move aside and let those who are exiting the train behind you get where they need to go. Nothing's worse than dozens of disgruntled New Yorkers unable to get off a train because a family of tourists has stopped one step outside the subway to unfold a map.

Be polite to those soliciting on the train.

Sure, some of them are little more than panhandlers. But many of them - like "Harvelle," who rides the shuttle between Grand Central Terminal and Times Square station almost daily collecting money, he says, for homeless veterans - are familiar figures to daily commuters. You don't need to give them money if you don't want. There's never a guarantee that their tales of woe are true. But it doesn't hurt to treat them respectfully. Or, at worst, just ignore them.

Tip the musicians.

Most of these performers are legitimately earning a living, under the auspices of MTA's "Music Under New York" program. Those that are participating in the program will hang a banner identifying them. Performers as varied as Professor Edwardo Alvarado and the Ebony Hillbillies will play during morning and afternoon rush hours in the New York City subway's busiest stations. You might think about dropping a dollar in the hat even for the unsanctioned performers if you appreciate their musical talents and their efforts.