The New York City subway runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year — one of only a handful of metro systems in the world that never closes. For tourists, that is a remarkable asset: you can return from a Broadway show at midnight, head to Brooklyn for a late dinner at 23:00, or catch a 06:00 train to JFK without any concern about missing the last service. But the system also has its quirks — express trains, local trains, lettered and numbered lines that run on the same tracks, and the notorious challenge of knowing which platform to use. This guide untangles it.
New York's subway has two payment systems running in parallel. OMNY is the new contactless system: tap any contactless Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay, or Google Pay at the turnstile and pay $2.90 per ride. OMNY applies a daily cap of $9.57 (after which rides are free for the rest of the calendar day) and a weekly cap of $34.00 (unlimited rides Monday–Sunday). No card needed, no top-up, no queuing at a machine.
The MetroCard is the older magnetic swipe card, available at machines in every station. You can load it with pay-per-ride credit or buy a 7-Day Unlimited ($34) or 30-Day Unlimited ($132) version. The MetroCard is being phased out — machines no longer sell new cards — but existing cards remain valid. If you cannot use contactless, ask at the station staffed booth for a MetroCard.
Transfers between subway lines are free within the same fare payment, provided you do not exit through the turnstile. Transfers between subway and bus are also free within a 2-hour window on OMNY.
New York's subway map looks complex but follows a consistent logic. In Manhattan, trains go either uptown (north, towards the Bronx) or downtown (south, towards Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn). Knowing which direction you want before you reach the platform prevents ending up at 125th Street when you wanted 14th Street.
Local trains stop at every station. Express trains skip most stations and stop only at major hubs, running faster between them. On the same track, the local and express share the outer rails; express trains use the inner (middle) tracks at larger stations. The A train (express) and C train (local) both run the same corridor on the west side of Manhattan — the A skips stations the C stops at. Check the front of the train and the platform signs to confirm whether your train is express or local.
The most useful lines for Manhattan tourists: 1/2/3 (red, runs north–south on the west side); 4/5/6 (green, runs north–south on the east side); N/Q/R/W (yellow, diagonal route through Midtown and Downtown); L (grey, runs cross-town on 14th Street into Brooklyn/Williamsburg); A/C/E (blue, west side).
JFK Airport: Take the AirTrain (a free people-mover within JFK, but you pay to exit at Jamaica or Howard Beach stations) to connect to the subway. AirTrain to Jamaica + E train to Midtown: around 50–60 minutes, total cost $2.90 + $8.75 AirTrain fee. AirTrain to Howard Beach + A train: similar time, same cost. The subway fare plus AirTrain fee ($11.65 total) is drastically cheaper than a taxi (flat rate $70 plus tolls and tip from Manhattan).
LaGuardia Airport (LGA): LaGuardia has no rail connection. Take the Q70 express bus to Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue (M/R/E/F/7 trains) or the M60 bus to Astoria (N/W trains) or Harlem (2/3/A/C). Budget 45–75 minutes depending on traffic. Alternatively, take the new LaGuardia AirTrain to Willets Point when it opens (planned 2026–2027).
Newark Airport (EWR): Technically in New Jersey, but served by NJ Transit trains and the AirTrain monorail within the airport. NJ Transit to Penn Station Manhattan takes 25–30 minutes and costs around $16.10. A good option if you are staying near Penn Station or the west side of Midtown.
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Each subway ride costs $2.90 with OMNY contactless payment (2026 price). There is a daily cap of $9.57 and a weekly cap of $34, after which all further rides on that day or week are free. A 7-Day Unlimited MetroCard also costs $34.
Yes. The NYC subway runs 24 hours, 7 days a week — it never closes. Late-night (01:00–05:00) services run less frequently, and some weekend service changes reroute trains, but you can always get somewhere by subway at any hour.
Yes, the subway is safe for the vast majority of riders. Exercise standard city-travel awareness: keep valuables secure, stay alert in less-busy stations late at night, and sit near other passengers or the conductor's car on late-night trains.
Local trains stop at every station. Express trains skip minor stations and only stop at major hubs, making them faster for longer distances. Both share the same platforms at express stops. Check the sign on the front of the train — it says either "Local" or lists only its express stops.
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