Travel Around Manhattan F.A.Q.

Many say that the best views are early morning and during sunset.  But when you go is up to you.  If you are going at a less traveled time, remember that your safety always comes first and if something doesn’t feel comfortable trust your instincts.

That is also a matter of preferences, but the views are the best when walking toward Manhattan.  See top photo!

The Manhattan entrance is located near Centre Street and Park Row, next to City Hall.

The closest subway stops are:

• Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall (4, 5, 6 lines) – 3-minute walk
• Chambers St (J, Z lines) – 5-minute walk
• City Hall Station (R, W lines) – 5-minute walk
• Fulton St (A, C, J, Z, 2, 3, 4, 5 lines) – 10-minute walk

Buses

• M15 / M15 SBS (runs along 1st/2nd Ave) – stops at Park Row
• M103 – stops near City Hall
• M55 – stops near Broadway & Fulton St

Ferry

Amazing views of manhattan, but doesnt go directly to the bridge entrance, but you can get close via:

• Pier 11/Wall Street ferry terminal (NYC Ferry) – about a 12–15 minute walk to the bridge.

Yes! Take the NYC Ferry – East River Route to DUMBO / Fulton Ferry Landing.
From there, it’s a 10–12 minute walk to the Washington St staircase entrance.

You can either pay for them on the machines when you get there or download their app.  The app has the ferry schedules as well.

CLICK HERE

• Comfortable walking shoes (the bridge is long and partially wooden planks)
• Layers—the wind over the East River can be strong even in warm months
• Sunscreen & sunglasses—there is little shade
• Hat, gloves, warm coat in winter—temperatures on the bridge feel colder than street level

Yes! The walkway is open 24/7 and free.

Yes, but the walkway is divided. Stay in the walking lane to avoid fast-moving bikes.

• One lane for pedestrians
• One lane for cyclists

No.
Plan to use the bathroom before you start walking.
Closest options:

• Manhattan: City Hall Park bathroom (open seasonally), nearby cafés, or Fulton Center
• Brooklyn: Restaurants/cafés in DUMBO, or Cadman Plaza

Yes — the Brooklyn side entrance at Tillary St & Adams St has a ramp. The Washington St staircase in DUMBO is not accessible.

Yes, dogs are allowed on leash. Keep in mind the walkway gets crowded.

Daytime is best. Evenings are fine too—just stick to the well-lit main walkway and avoid isolated areas late at night.

Often, yes. The busiest times are:

• Weekends 11 AM–6 PM
• Sunsets
• Warm weather days

Least crowded:

• Early morning (especially around sunrise)
• Weekdays before 10 AM

Not much. Bring sunscreen and water on hot days

You can pay with OMNY, the tap-to-pay system used across New York City transit.

• Simply tap a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, or a device with a contactless chip at the subway turnstile.
• You can also buy a MetroCard at vending machines, but OMNY is now the most common method.

A single subway ride is $2.90 using OMNY or a regular MetroCard.

• If you ride frequently, OMNY automatically gives you Fare Capping:
  Once you take 12 paid rides in a week (Monday–Sunday), all additional rides that week are free.

Subway directions in Manhattan follow the island’s layout:
• Uptown / North = trains going toward Harlem, The Bronx, Washington Heights, and upper Manhattan
• Downtown / South = trains going toward lower Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Financial District
• East/West generally refers to crosstown trains (like the L train) or bus routes that go across Manhattan

Subway signs will say Uptown or Downtown rather than north or south.

Local trains stop at every station

• Express trains skip stops to travel faster
• Make sure you are on the correct platform because express and local trains often run on different tracks.

You get free transfers within 2 hours when using OMNY or MetroCard.
Examples:
• Subway → Subway (as long as you don’t exit and re-enter the same station)
• Subway → Bus
• Bus → Subway
• Bus → Bus
Transfers do not apply when you exit a station and re-enter the same one.

Local buses (stop every few blocks)

• Select Bus Service (SBS) — faster, fewer stops, dedicated lanes. With SBS, you still tap with OMNY onboard.
• Express buses — travel between Manhattan and the outer boroughs; these cost more.

Most bus routes follow the street grid:
• N-S buses travel up or down avenues (example: M15 goes north–south on 1st/2nd Ave)
• E-W buses travel crosstown across major streets (such as 23rd St, 34th St, 42nd St, 79th St, etc.)

Eastbound buses go toward the East River.
Westbound buses go toward the Hudson River.

More or less. But with all big cities, be aware of your surroundings. Here are tips:

• Don’t stand near the tracks
• Don’t be on your mobile device
• Walk away from someone who concerns you
• Don’t be in deserted areas
• I personally don’t take the train after 10PM but many do.  I don’t like the stairwells.
• Choose cars with passengers

The subway runs 24/7, though late-night service may be slower with longer wait times.
Buses also run 24 hours but with reduced overnight schedul

NYC Ferry is a public ferry network operated by Hornblower Cruises on behalf of the city. It has indoor and outdoor seating.  Tickets can be purchased on their app or at some of the stops.

As of now, it runs six regular routes plus occasional or seasonal routes.
Main routes:

• East River — connects Manhattan with Brooklyn & Queens (e.g. stops like East 34th Street, DUMBO, Williamsburg/Greenpoint, etc.)
• South Brooklyn — serves southern / southwestern Brooklyn (e.g. Bay Ridge, Sunset Park / Brooklyn Army Terminal, Red Hook, Atlantic Ave / Brooklyn Bridge Park) and Manhattan (Piers)
• Rockaway — From Manhattan to the Rockaways (Queens), offering beach-area access.
• Astoria — serves Astoria (Queens), Long Island City, etc. to Manhattan.
• Soundview — connects the Bronx (Soundview / Ferry Point) to Manhattan piers.
• Seasonal/special — shuttle routes such as to Governors Island (summertime/holiday weekends) via Manhattan or Brooklyn departure points.

Typical onboard amenities: restrooms, charging outlets, cup holders

Operated by the city (NYC Department of Transportation – DOT).

There is one main route: between Whitehall Terminal (Lower Manhattan) and St. George Terminal (Staten Island). It is fare-free, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. A typical crossing takes about 25 minutes, with boats every ~15–20 min during peak hours, ~30 min off-peak

NY Waterway is a private company operating commuter ferries between New Jersey (and some Hudson Valley / NJ suburbs) and Manhattan.

It runs many routes — its network includes dozens of vessels and many terminals.

Common routes go from NJ terminals (such as Paulus Hook in Jersey City, Hoboken, Weehawken, Port Imperial, Edgewater, etc.) to Manhattan ferry terminals along the Hudson River and Battery Park City / World Financial Center.

Originally, they also operated an East River commuter ferry, though that service was eventually taken over by NYC Ferry.

Liberty Landing Ferry runs between Jersey City (Liberty Landing Marina & Warren Street) and Manhattan (Battery Park City / World Financial Center).

It’s a commuter ferry: weekday service (with increased frequency during rush hours) and resumed weekend/summer service in recent years.
libertylandingcityferry.com

Typical fare currently is $10 one-way from Manhattan to either Jersey City dock; there are also discounted multi-ride pass options.

NYWT is a private water-taxi and ferry-style service offering commuter, sightseeing, and hop-on/hop-off routes along the East River, Hudson River and around the harbor.

Its docking / service points include various Manhattan piers (e.g. around 34th Street, 90th Street, Pier 16 / South Street Seaport, Pier 83), and locations in Brooklyn (Red Hook, Williamsburg, Greenpoint) and Queens (Long Island City) depending on the route.

NYWT is more flexible than commuter-ferry services — you can charter it (groups, events), and it tends to be used for sightseeing, tourist-style ferry rides, and less for regular commuting.

Seasonal ferries to Governors Island — run by The Trust for Governors Island during summer / warmer months; routes depart from Manhattan (Battery Maritime Building) and sometimes from Brooklyn (Pier 6, Brooklyn Bridge Park) depending on schedule.