Does New York have a good transit system?

83% of survey takers said it is overall easy to get around the city via subway and bus. In a shocking turn of events, it turns out that New York actually boasts one of the best public transportation systems in the world … at least according to a Time Out survey of more than 20,000 city-dwellers across 50 cities.



New York City possesses the most extensive and complex public transit system in North America, often regarded as "good" for its 24/7 availability and vast coverage, but criticized for its aging infrastructure. As of 2026, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has made significant strides in modernization, achieving its best on-time performance in years through the installation of new signal technology (CBTC) and the rollout of hundreds of new "R211" subway cars. The system is incomparable in its ability to move nearly 2 billion riders annually across subways, buses, and commuter rails. However, challenges remain, including ongoing accessibility gaps (only about 50% of stations are fully accessible) and the high cost of maintenance for its century-old tunnels. While New Yorkers frequently complain about delays and cleanliness, the city’s "transit-oriented" lifestyle remains the benchmark for urban mobility in the U.S., offering a level of connectivity that makes owning a personal vehicle unnecessary for the vast majority of residents and visitors.

People Also Ask

New York is an excellent walking city, and getting around by foot is the best way to familiarize yourself with neighborhoods and their (sometimes subtle) divisions. Of course, sometimes you'll need to move more quickly or cover great distances, for which you've got subways, buses and cabs at your disposal.

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New York City is one of the ultimate walkable cities. It has plentiful public transportation, but many visitors prefer to explore the city on foot. In fact, several of the city's landmarks are within easy walking distance from the others, and all five boroughs of the city are walkable.

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The best way to get around NYC as a tourist is by taking the subway or the bus since it's cheap, efficient, and goes to most parts of the city.

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“New York is doing well because of its comprehensive subway network that operates 24 hours and the fact that trains go to Long Island and New Jersey,” said Jasper de Lange, transportation project manager at Arcadis. “It also scores high in the amount of people who are using public transit compared to a car to commute.”

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You can use cash, credit, or debit cards to make your purchase. New York City subway fares are $2.75 per trip. For visitors staying more than a couple of days you can buy a one week unlimited MetroCard for $33 or an unlimited monthly MetroCard for $127.00.

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The Shanghai Metro is the world's longest metro network at 803 kilometres (499 mi) and has the highest annual ridership at 2.83 billion trips.

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We're talking a very marginal difference, of course, because both are extremely safe and there's very little crime in either location, but yes, the subway is safer.

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Taking a taxi or Uber in New York City is safe. Yellow taxis are very regulated by the city and are safe to take. Taxi drivers for the most part are very friendly. Some like to talk quite a bit, and it's one of the nicest things about taking a taxi in NYC.

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Cost: $34 (7-day) or $132 (30-day). You have unlimited swipes on the subway and local buses for either 7 or 30 days. Your MetroCard can only hold one Unlimited Ride refill at a time. You can't pause an unlimited ride card once you've started using it.

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The New York City subway is a core part of the infrastructure and transportation in the city. The subway is owned by the city of New York and leased to the New York Transit Authority. It is one of the oldest subway systems and one of the largest in the world, with about 472 stations in operation.

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The subway carried 1,793,073,000 riders in 2022. On October 29, 2015, more than 6.2 million people rode the subway system, establishing the highest single-day ridership since ridership was regularly monitored in 1985.

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New York City's buses are slow and unreliable because a crush of cars, delivery trucks, pedestrians and traffic lights impede their path and dedicated bus lanes remain scarce. It is a common trend in heavily populated places.

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Keep seats at the front available for people who need them. It is required to surrender accessible seats upon request. Don't stand in the stairwell or doorway while the bus is moving. For help planning a trip, call 511.

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Subway. One of the most popular ways to get around New York is the New York Subway. This is a great way to get around the city as you avoid any traffic. With 472 subway stations, the New York City subway is the largest subway system in the world as measured by total number of stations.

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It's the #1 most walkable city in the country for a reason. New York boasts the world's largest rapid transit system, a huge portfolio of bicycle lanes, and an impressive 29,000 acres of Parks stewardship. All of these aspects add to NYC's walkability by providing safe, well-maintained areas for transit and recreation.

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