By Bus in New York City

• Places to Explore
• Sights
• Restaurants
• Hotels
• Entertainment
• Shopping
• Travel Tips
• Features

By Bus

Most city buses follow easy-to-understand routes along the Manhattan street grid. Routes go up or down the north-south avenues, or east and west on the major two-way crosstown streets: 96th, 86th, 79th, 72nd, 57th, 42nd, 34th, 23rd, and 14th. Most bus routes operate 24 hours, but service is infrequent late at night. Traffic jams can make rides maddeningly slow, especially along 5th Avenue in Midtown and the Upper East Side. Certain bus routes provide "Limited-Stop Service" during weekday rush hours, which saves travel time by stopping only at major cross streets and transfer points. A sign posted at the front of the bus indicates it has limited service; ask the driver whether the bus stops near where you want to go before boarding.

To find a bus stop, look for a light-blue sign (green for a limited bus) on a green pole; bus numbers and routes are listed, with the stop's name underneath.

Fares & Schedules

Bus fare is the same as subway fare: $2. MetroCards allow you one free transfer between buses or from bus to subway; when using a token or cash, you can ask the driver for a free transfer coupon, good for one change to an intersecting route. Legal transfer points are listed on the back of the slip. Transfers generally have time limits of two hours. You cannot use the transfer to enter the subway system.

Route maps and schedules are posted at many bus stops in Manhattan and at major stops throughout the other boroughs. Each of the five boroughs of New York has a separate bus map; they're available from some station booths, but rarely on buses. The best places to obtain them are the MTA booth in the Times Square Information Center, or the information kiosks in Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station.

Bus Information

Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) Travel Information Line (718/330-1234; 718/330-4847 for non-English speakers. www.mta.nyc.ny.us). MTA Status information hotline (718/243-7777), updated hourly.

Paying

Pay your bus fare when you board, with exact change in coins (no pennies, and no change is given) or with a MetroCard.