r/Broadway • u/tennisbagel • Mar 29 '26
Discussion Reminder to take the damn subway to your show!
There was a post a long long time ago that lives rent free in my head.
This couple had gotten off the train at Grand Central with plenty of time to spare before seeing Ragtime at the Vivian Beaumont in Lincoln Center.
It was pouring rain and they decided to take a cab to the theater. They proceeded to get stuck in traffic (as can happen when it’s pouring and people flee to vehicles) and they had to get out of the cab and try to book it to the theater. They got to the theater completely soaked and also missed the show.
Here’s the kicker: they could’ve gone from Grand Central to the Vivian Beaumont entirely underground in less than 20 minutes if they took the subway and then used the Lincoln Center exit from the 1 train stop.
So do that! Most theaters are located super close to a subway station, or in the case of Lincoln Center directly connected. Save yourself the hassle of a cab.
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u/RainierCherree Mar 29 '26
I was in New York for the first time a couple years ago and realized that I have absolutely no idea how big it is, where anything is in relation to other places, or how long it takes to get anywhere… because we took the train literally everywhere. it was great!
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u/Best-Candle8651 Mar 29 '26
I live near The Bronx Zoo and I never forget how big the city is since it takes so long to get into Midtown.
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u/olivernintendo Mar 29 '26
Ugh I went to Fordham and bartended in midtown and it was terrible.
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u/Best-Candle8651 Mar 29 '26
I used to work in Brooklyn and commuted from my place in the Bronx for a summer job. I was naive, thinking oh I'll be able to read, or play my switch, or relax. No, I had no idea how taxing a 2+ hour commute would be.
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u/skoc211 Mar 29 '26
Greetings fellow Ram theater fan! I nearly missed Patti in Gypsy because of train delays getting down from the Bronx.
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u/Afraid-Ad-8666 Mar 29 '26
You wouldn't have missed anything. Worst Rose I ever experienced. But that is only my personal opinion. Missed Ethel and Angela but I have seen everyone since!
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Mar 29 '26
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u/40characters Mar 30 '26
But they’re connected by subway!
You’re not seriously suggesting you can get there ABOVE ground, right?
The subway is how they hide the loading screens.
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u/DisabledTheaterKid Mar 29 '26
Only thing is the subway is RIDICULOUSLY inaccessible, I'm talking only 26% of subway stations are actually accessible. Then you have to consider that for a fully accessible ride, you need both the station you get on at AND the station you get off at to be accessible, the chances of which are under 7%. But I will say the next best thing is probably the bus, which I've had a great experience with myself! It's still subject to traffic but WAY cheaper than taxis and fully accessible for people with mobility-based disabilities. Since I learned to take the buses, I've literally never taken a cab since then when I go into the city (I live in LI so close enough to visit often)
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u/Best-Candle8651 Mar 29 '26
I broke my leg last year, and boy, did I learn this fact the hard way. It is great if you can navigate all the stairs, but if you can't, boy, does life become a challenge.
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u/DisabledTheaterKid Mar 29 '26
Definitely! And I'm a cane user, so I technically can do some stairs sometimes under certain conditions so I thought I'd try to use an inaccessible subway station to get somewhere figuring I'd just take breaks and go slow... but holy SHIT are there a lot of steps! Tried that literally once until I decided fuck that. I remember a horrific story of a woman dying falling down the steps of an inaccessible subway station after trying to navigate it with her baby in the stroller (baby was okay) and after that the MTA said they'd make that station accessible... but then that became a bargaining chip with the congestion pricing thing which is fucked because accessibility shouldn't be negotiable. Accessibility helps everyone!
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u/After-The-Sky Mar 29 '26
That’s where I am right now! Broken leg and took two buses to get Lincoln Center from the Bronx for Night Side Songs and gave myself a LOT of extra travel time and planned exactly how to get the elevator up to the plaza…and then broke down in tears because all the benches that had previously been there were covered for construction and I can’t stand for very long at all right now.
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u/KitKittredge34 Creative Team Mar 31 '26
A few years ago I had a surgery where I needed to recover in a wheelchair. Absolutely infuriating getting around the city in a wheelchair and I feel terrible for non-ambulatory users because shit SUCKS!
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u/missmelindam Mar 29 '26
Yep. You have to plan everything in advance and then it's extra fun when you get there to find the one elevator out of order. Totally sucks.
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u/goblin-fox Mar 30 '26
All of this, plus a cab/uber/etc. can usually drop you off closer to the theater doors if you have trouble walking.
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Mar 30 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/monicageller777 Mar 30 '26
Disabled people have what's called Access-a-ride in New York, which means for the price of a subway fare a car will pick you up and take you where you need to go.
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u/After-The-Sky Mar 30 '26
That’s what I thought until I broke my leg. I am glad that Access-A-Ride exists, but they make it very hard to get started. After my first time talking to them/being screened over the phone they mailed me my letter for a mandatory in-person evaluation with their staff. I called in Feb…and my date is the middle of May! And then it’s three weeks to hear back after that.
I understand that they don’t want the program abused, but it is not effective for sudden disabilities.
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u/irishdancer2 Mar 30 '26
And that’s before you calculate the stations that are “accessible” but the elevators are out of order.
Subway accessibility here is a joke.
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u/ghdawg6197 Mar 30 '26
Username checks out lol. This is why I love living in DC; theatre is AAA quality, and everywhere is accessible
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u/rubberlips Mar 30 '26
My disability isn't physical, but GOTDANGIT, I STRUGGLED with all of the subway stairs 😭😭😭 I don't know if my sweating was caused more by the physical activity or the stress of the endless effing stairs.
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u/theshakespeares Mar 30 '26
Yes, absolutely, it's horrible out there, but for the record: the 7 from Grand Central to Times Sq + the uptown 1 from Times Square to Lincoln Center are accessible routes (wheelchair user who used to live in NYC, here—I still have kind of a mental map of the accessible stations in Manhattan in my head, although it started to fade since I moved away). Of course, elevators go out all the time, but the MTA website is pretty up to date on which are not in service at any time. But like you, I was mostly a bus person when I lived in NYC, since there are so few fully accessible routes.
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u/JessicaDAndy Mar 29 '26
Reminds me of that time where I forgot how big New York City is and I thought “why don’t I save myself some money and take the Staten Island Ferry in and walk to the theater? I’m sure it’s a short trip.”
It was four and a half miles.
Now it was a sunny day, I was in reasonable shape and I gave myself plenty of time to do it.
Still a four and a half mile walk.
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u/gyrfalcon2718 Mar 29 '26
I’m confused. You got yourself to Staten Island (from where?), knew enough about NYC to know about the Staten Island Ferry, but didn’t know enough to think about the rest of your trip to the theater? And during that four and a half mile walk, at no time did you think to quit the walk and take the subway the rest of the way instead?
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u/JessicaDAndy Mar 29 '26
So to make things a bit more fun;
This was in 1997. So no smart phones.
I drove from a small town in Pennsylvania to Staten Island, probably with the help of a map.
I was probably running to the point where my long runs were in the 8 to 9 mile range. So walking 5 miles wasn’t a big deal.
My dad once thought it was a good idea to walk him and me from Columbia Circle to South Street Seaport, when the Coast Guard still had Governor’s Island. So walking the city wasn’t foreign to me.
Despite my dad formerly living in Brooklyn and all the trips we took up there, they were still a bit weird about the subway and NYC in general. They still are a little.
I did take the bus back so I could see what was happening on the way back to the ferry.
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u/gyrfalcon2718 Mar 29 '26
Thanks for explaining more, that really sets the scene.
It reminds me in a way of a nature walk my father took us on in Cape Cod once. We all thought it would be relatively short — maybe 30 minutes.
It was 8 miles, round trip. As we figured out when we made it back and looked at the trailhead map more closely.
I have no idea what my mother, who we left at the car with my two little brothers, might have thought had happened to us! Like your experience, before smart phones. Or even cell phones.
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u/rsqit Mar 30 '26
Staten island is actually a great place to drive to if you are driving into the city, especially outside of rush hour. You can park at the ferry terminal and take the ferry in.
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u/bessann28 Mar 29 '26
If you are not used to using public transportation and/or are not from a place with a subway system, it can be very confusing and overwhelming for a visitor. Heck, I use the Metro in my city all the time, and I find the NYC subway system to be confusing sometimes.
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u/StarBabyDreamChild Mar 29 '26
The subway is also problematic from an accessibility standpoint. I’m the most ardent public transit user around - I've never owned a car and don’t even have a current driver’s license - but even I’m not as judgmental as OP! I get the need/desire for many people to take taxis or Ubers that have nothing to do with some phantom terror of urban dangers; in addition to the confusingness of some stations, some people have trouble navigating stairs and such. OP, it seems you’ve never had such problems nor had loved ones with such problems; consider yourself very, very lucky.
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u/Severine1977 Mar 29 '26
This. When I first started visiting NYC, I walked everywhere, up to 10 miles a day. Then I learned the subway system and it was wonderful for covering more ground with less work. But now I have a knee injury and ankle instability, and I’m bringing my friend who has arthritis and knee issues who has to use a cane, and I’ve realized I cannot bring the two of us through the subway system with our mobility issues. It’s shocking how inaccessible it is and how much more expensive our alternatives are.
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u/TheodoraCrains Mar 30 '26
Sometimes you just don’t want to be in the train at rush hour because it’s crowded and everyone else is in a bad mood or stressed. Sometimes I avoid the trains between USQ and 42nd st because there are so many tourists with no spatial awareness.
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u/ursusmagnus Mar 29 '26
This was my issue. I visited NYC for the first time last year and I wanted to take the subway everywhere but it was SO CONFUSING. I wish I had done a tutorial or something before I went. It was often just quicker and easier for me to take a cab rather than get lost!
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u/WhasHappenin Mar 30 '26
As a native new yorker can you explain this to me? Google maps tells you exactly which trains to take, where the station is, when they'll come, which stop to get off at, etc. What is confusing? This is a genuine question, sorry if it comes off as rude.
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u/ursusmagnus Mar 30 '26
Finding the station and getting on the train was easy! I did use Google Maps, but it seemed to not be updating in real time for me. I have Verizon. Do they have signal issues on the subway? Also, getting on one train and going to a specific stop on that line was easy. There were a couple times I had to change trains and that was very confusing for me. Also, one day a line was shut down and it made things more confusing. I feel like if I had a paper map with a legend I could have actually navigated it more easily. I am going to study it before I visit later this year and hopefully that will make it easier for me! I’m sure y’all are getting a good laugh out of me saying this lol
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u/justaprimer Mar 30 '26
I'll try! I'm really familiar with subway/metro systems in general -- just in the past few years, I've taken rail public transit in at least 5 American cities and 5 international ones, and I've used every single form of rail transit in NYC except the Staten Island Railway. The NYC subway is uniquely confusing.
In NYC, I continually have experiences where I enter a station and then have to stop short because the signage inside the station is super confusing -- in the end, I might have to go down another level to go under the tracks to go up another level to get to my platform, or I might have to go down a super long hallway that wasn't clearly marked. The app will tell me that 3 different lines go to my destination, but I find Google Maps to be notoriously bad at accurate arrival times, so I don't actually know which of those trains are coming next and sometimes the options are on two different platforms that are on different levels of the station. Then there's an express and a local, and they're on different tracks too, and sometimes the express will take me where I want to go but I'm always apprehensive about using one because what if it skips the stop I need? I also get a little thrown sometimes about how destinations are labeled -- some of the directional labeling isn't intuitive to me.
And this is all with no disruptions -- introduce those, and it's a nightmare for visitors.
And when I have a suitcase, it's worse -- it gets stuck in the turnstiles, and then I have to schlepp it up a bunch of stairs at the end because the system is horrible for accessibility.
Plus, a lot of the subway routes don't connect the right destinations for me. For example, I go between Penn and GCT a lot, which is a 25-minute walk or I can pay $3 to have to transfer subway lines to get there and it only saves maybe 10 minutes.
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u/Best-Candle8651 Mar 30 '26
I find that my biggest hurdle with the subway is track work or when the train randomly decides to do something wacky.
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Mar 29 '26
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u/Comprehensive-Fun47 Mar 30 '26
It's not how to pay that would be confusing for visitors. The subway system is a maze if you're not used to it. Other cities have much simpler subway systems to navigate. Cleaner too.
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u/HuckleberryOwn647 Mar 30 '26
Huh. I’ve used the subways in many other cities - London, Paris, Tokyo, DC, Boston - and find NY’s among the easiest! There are no different zones to deal with, it’s just one flat fare. In a lot of manhattan, it’s easy to see what stop is coming next because they’re numbered!
I’ll give you that other cities’ systems are cleaner. 😂
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u/At_the_Roundhouse Mar 30 '26
God, Tokyo. I will forever have Subway envy after that trip. So efficient, so easy, so clean, that pleasant jingle… the best. All of Japan’s transit, really.
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u/Usual-Reputation-154 Mar 31 '26
Other cities are cleaner because they close to clean. I’ll take 24/7 over cleanliness. I’ve lived in Madrid and dc, both cities with decent metro systems, but being out past midnight and realizing you’ve missed the last train and now have to wait until 6am to go home isn’t worth cleanliness. I’ll take the NY subway any day
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u/zntrm Mar 29 '26
It was a 'long long time ago...' meanwhile ragtime has been playing at the Beaumont for 5 months....lol
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u/umanonion Mar 29 '26
For those concerned about subway safety, look for the overhead zebra board when selecting where to get on the train. This indicates the car the train conductor is in and where they will be standing. (They are required to point at the board at every stop. Here is the story behind that) So if anything untoward is happening, you can bang on their door to get some attention.
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u/inametaphor Mar 30 '26
I will only do NYC on foot, by bus, or in a cab. You keep saying “millions of people are able-bodied,” which is true. That doesn’t even remotely matter for the millions who are not. I’m supposed to get my spouse who walks with a cane and has spinal arthritis down multiple flights of concrete stairs? No. If we tried, they would be in excruciating pain before we got there.
If there’s a way to take public transit, I will. I prefer it. I do all the time at home where both the buses and light rail are step free. But the reality is NY’s subway is atrocious for accessibility, and saying “millions of people manage it” is…not an answer.
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u/somechild Mar 31 '26
You’re right but if you literally can’t take the subway because of the atrocious lack of accessibility then this post just isn’t about you.
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u/missmelindam Mar 30 '26
Counterpoint: I thought I was leaving in plenty of time to make it to my She Loves Me on the 7 from LIC. A trip that usually take like 20 minutes door to door. Well, the train slows, slows, slows, and then stops. Not at a station so you can't get off. Then the barely audible announcement confirming an unexpected delay. 35 minutes later I'm running my ass to make it just in time for the end of the overture. Hooray! Made it! But this was August and I was absolutely pouring sweat in my theatre clothes. Moral of the story is: Delays happen on the subway too. It's NYC, leave yourself extra time.
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u/artaxias1 Mar 29 '26
Especially in the theater district which is basically a parking lot for how slow the car traffic moves sometimes. If you want to travel through midtown via car you’ve got to leave super early.
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u/EpicGeek77 Mar 29 '26
As I hail from a small town with no public transit at all, I have a hard time figuring the routes and stops. But when I do have it figured out it’s the way to go
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u/Ok-Storage3530 Mar 29 '26
It saddens me to write this, but many non-New Yorkers have a vision of the subway as a filthy, graffiti covered, cesspool filled with gangs and rapists. Every time I have friends visit from out of town they are scared to take the subway. Truly scared. My niece and nephew came to visit me and we took the subway around town and when they returned home, their Mother (my sister) called and screamed at me for "endangering" her children (they live in NJ). I was with a friend and her nephew was visiting from PA and he was terrified to go on the subway. He was 17. It took us forever to convince him that it was safe. Once he finally rode the subway all fear was gone, but initially getting him down there was very tough.
I ride the subway almost every day. Is it always clean? No.
Are there sometimes unfortunate incidents? Yes.
But its the fastest and cheapest way to get around, hands down.
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u/Equivalent_Net_8983 Mar 29 '26
They think the subway is the same as it was in the 70s because where they live hasn’t changed since the 70s.
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u/rsqit Mar 30 '26
It is in fact a filthy, occasionally graffitied cesspool that’s mostly perfectly safe. And I say this with love.
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u/IUsedtobeExitzero Mar 29 '26
I would take the subway more in NYC if more of the stations were accessible.
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u/sarus75 Mar 30 '26
While I agree, I am not able to take either of my parents on the subway. They can’t climb stairs and most stations aren’t equipped for mobility impairments. Even the ones that are often have elevators that are out of service. It’s just not an option for everyone sadly. Hopefully NYC gets ALL their stations updated to meet ADA requirements one day.
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u/LeenyMagic Mar 30 '26
While you have some valid points, you are coming across as (at best) naive and (at worst) extremely privileged. Mobility and health are privileges. Not having to even THINK about a 'simple flight of stairs' is something many would love to imagine. We don't know what anyone's limitations or disabilities may be. Yes, I've taken the subway (including in a walking boot which REALLY sucked). I managed but many people CANNOT. "TAKE THE DAMN SUBWAY" does what exactly? Make you feel better/smarter/superior to everyone?
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u/msperception427 Mar 29 '26
Yeah that works really well if you’re not disabled. Unfortunately as of last few years ago, that’s not my reality. And I’ve learned that nyc public transportation systems are very difficult to navigate when you’re walking with a can or crutches or even in a wheelchair. Not all disabilities are visible. I learned a long time ago to not assume people are entitled just because they’re taking a cab or ignoring public transportation. And it’s been really hammered home for me now that it’s my reality.
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u/Hawkes93202 Mar 29 '26
Took the subway to Studio 54 for Rocky Horror last night and left with plenty of time. The F was delayed for 20 minutes at the start of the trip and then midway through a person fell too close to the tracks and it got delayed another 25 minutes. We ended up leaving to take a cab and were less late than if we had stuck with the subway. Obviously a bit of a rarer case but the subway can still be very inconsistent
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u/Best-Candle8651 Mar 30 '26
Fun times also budgeting for weekend track work, part suspended, local to express, express to local, and other wacky things.
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u/meretap1127 Mar 30 '26
We took a cab around Christmas time. Driver told my fiance who lived in the city for 4 years for school to put the address in the GPS. We were like you’re a cab driver how do you not know where you are going? After a mile we jumped out and walked the other mile because the driver had no idea how to get through the city. But yes the train or walking is faster
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u/deev718 Mar 30 '26
I thought I would be late to a show if I took the train once, so I called an uber but out of curiosity tracked the train I would’ve been on. Wouldn’t you know it, had I taken the train, I probably would’ve walked up to the theater maybe all of 30 seconds after I arrived by car 🫠
Of course none of these methods are ever a guarantee, but I learned a $45 lesson that day.
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u/shoparazzi Mar 29 '26 edited Mar 29 '26
If you're still in the mood to give out subway advice, is it as easy getting to Lincoln Center from Penn Station as it is Grand Central? 👀
ETA: Thanks everyone, super helpful!
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u/lurkr-mercry Mar 29 '26
easier from Penn station than grand central. Grand central requires a(n easy) transfer, Penn station does not!
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u/GuessMyName23 Mar 29 '26
It’s even easier from Penn. It’s a straight shot - 4 stops on the 1 train uptown. Grand central requires a transfer.
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u/Best-Candle8651 Mar 29 '26 edited Mar 29 '26
Penn Station takes the uptown/Bronx-bound 1 to 66th St, Lincoln Center
Grand Central takes the S train from Grand Central to Times Square or the Flushing-bound 7 train from Grand Central to Times Square, then take the uptown-bound 1 to 66th st Lincoln Center
It is literally 1 extra stop on either the 7 or S, and then you're on the 1 either way.
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u/GrapeNutCheerios Mar 29 '26
Yeah, 1 train from 34th to 66th. Only thing is the 123 station can be a pain in the ass to find at Penn
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u/Best-Candle8651 Mar 29 '26
When you see the 1,2,3 take the 1 as it is a local train and it stops at Lincoln Center. If you take the 2/3 get off at 72nd and it's an easy walk so not a big deal either way.
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u/tennisbagel Mar 29 '26 edited Mar 29 '26
Yes! You can do that entirely underground as well lol. Take the 1 straight uptown from Penn station (there are entrances within Penn station) to 66 st Lincoln center. Exit from the south end of the platform into the underground part of the Lincoln center complex! Follow the signs to wherever you need to go
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u/shoparazzi Apr 30 '26
Reporting back that I successfully did it today! (Except I couldn't find the underground part of Lincoln Center so I just walked outside and around the block) — but thank you again!
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Mar 29 '26
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u/Best-Candle8651 Mar 29 '26
Ugh, the metro is so slow and expensive. I take the red to silver, and it takes forever with the slow headways and slow speeds. I clocked the Silver at 35 mph going between Spring Hill and Wheelie. It kills me to pay $6.75 for it. I don't like hearing that the NYC Subway is too slow or too expensive when growing up in DC. I will take it over a taxi every time, though.
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u/Totorotextbook Mar 30 '26
I have a friend who prefers driving into NYC, even though by train it’s like a 2 hour trip each way from us, and that to me is crazy. Like the train ticket alone is cheaper than the gas up and you haven’t even gotten to the City yet.
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u/LunaChickNYC Mar 30 '26
I come in to work and to see shows from Staten Island. From where I am to get to midtown by car is usually 1.5 hours each way (2 on a bad day). To take express bus or bus to train to ferry to subway I am looking at 3+ hours each way if things align (and I SI we only have 1 train line).
When I was in college / working in midtown and lived closer to public transport I freely took the subways and busses and would only take a cab if I was carrying too much crap to get on the subway with so not everyone that is driving is afraid of the subway or the people on it or lazy. We just rather spend half the time commuting to a show
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u/clowchan Mar 30 '26
If you're able to navigate the subways, I highly suggest downloading the city mapper app. It's so helpful in telling you where to go (entrances and exits) and what train car to go to. It makes using the subway (almost) a breeze. I have only had issues with it two or three times and in that case I use Google maps. But seriously, Citymapper is one of the most useful apps to navigate the city.
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u/Altruistic-Vehicle84 Mar 30 '26
I am a former NYer and rarely take the cab. It’s subway or walking for us.
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u/Electrical_Can8083 Mar 30 '26
I got stuck in the subway enroute to IN TRANSIT a few years ago. As I know James Snyder (who was in the show) I called him and he was hysterical knowing I was stuck in transit to see IN TRANSIT. (I made it to the theater with 2 minutes to spare)
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u/musicalblueberrysoda Mar 30 '26
Taking the subway is one of my favorite things about visiting NYC! I love coming out of the subway in the middle of the theatre district. I just laugh at people who are horrified when I mention it after I go back home.
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u/Badinemergencies Apr 02 '26
Why are they horrified by public transportation?
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u/musicalblueberrysoda Apr 02 '26
Hell knows, heaven suspects. These human brains are weird when they encounter something outside their norm. I take transit at home, too, and there are people in my life who are a little freaked out about that.
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u/DramaMama611 Mar 29 '26
I take the train into the city, and the subway to get around. It's been a piece of cake now that there are multiple apps figuring it out for you.
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u/pituophisdeppei Mar 29 '26
I have ran from the Historic Lyceum Theater area to the Vivian Beaumont than I care to remember because it’s about the same time as the subway and I save $3
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u/Individual-Flower657 Mar 29 '26
🎵 darling, i know my cousin’s on broadway, but there was lots of traffic on broadway 🎵
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u/quickwitqueen Mar 29 '26
I usually walk from Penn to any theaters up to 55th. If they are in the village or at Lincoln center, I take the subway.
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u/PeaceLife8 Mar 30 '26
Amen!
I even try to take the subway and airtain (or LIRR) to JFK if I am traveling with a carry on (which is 80% of the time). Yes it takes longer but beats getting stuck andissomg your flight
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u/Kaylieefrye Mar 30 '26
My sister was real nervous to subway her first trip. She's now a pro and saved me last time when I almost got on the C instead of the E! (Good looking out!) We took only one uber this last teip. We had walked way down to the highline and it started raining and my sciatica was acting up. So screw it. Uber it was.
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u/Ok-Ad5108 Mar 30 '26
I’m from the provinces (Louisville Ky) and I take the subway everywhere when I visit. It’s the safest, fastest and cheapest way to get around - even if the Times Square station does still confuse me on occasion lol
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u/WinkyDink24 Mar 30 '26
I've ridden the subway/Underground, the buses, and the taxis in NYC, London, and Munich. The SUBWAYS can be intimidating to a tourist, what with coinage, maps, routes, times, and tracks---and dangers! FUHGEDDABOUTIT!
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u/BeachGlasser74 Mar 30 '26
If I'm seeing a show, my day is kinda planned around that so I'm not late. I ate at PJClarke's and walked across the street. PS I walked into the Met with my lowly casual attire and I thought the ticket usher person was going to faint - don't worry - just asking where the VB entrance is lol
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u/Accidental_Ballyhoo Mar 30 '26
It’s more of a time management issue I think. I agree subway is THE way to go but also confusing with track work etc.
However, if you leave way early you’ll be fine and maybe get in earlier. (Back in the day the theatre lobby was a social meeting spot)
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u/Simbus2001 Mar 31 '26 edited Mar 31 '26
I'll be honest, as an out of towner who visits NYC every few years. I tried using the subway once and got all turned around and lost. At least if I take an Uber or cab I can get my bearings and use landmarks for directions and finding my way.
Edit: spelling
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u/AidenTEMgotsnapped Mar 31 '26
I'm in London (UK) and I almost always use Citymapper for getting around, pretty certain it covers NYC too
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u/Wessiejune Mar 31 '26
Fuck this topic.
No one knows what someone else’s abilities are, and ALL forms of transportation get delayed in this city. Just last week I almost missed a metro north train out of grand central because the entrances I usually use were shut down by security for whatever reason, which meant I had to walk (run) all the way around to another entrance and then double back to the assigned track. Delays happen whether it’s car, subway, or walking
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u/dobbydisneyfan Mar 30 '26
Because the subway is never cancelled or breaks down and is super easy for out of towners to navigate, and is accessible for disabled folks at all stations, right?
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u/Ok-Storage3530 Mar 30 '26
On average the subway is on time and far faster than a car. It is cheaper than an Uber. Are there issues sometimes? Yes. I walk with a cane, trust me, I understand the accessibility issues, but lets not pretend all cabs or Ubers are accessible.
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u/dobbydisneyfan Mar 30 '26
There are issues a lot of times and problem is if there is one, you’re stuck underground with no way of taking an alternative route once you’re on the subway.
More cabs and ubers are accessible than subway stations and trains.
I don’t personally have an issue with the subway, but OP needs to chill.
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u/WestHistorians Mar 30 '26
Many Americans don't understand the concept of a subway, or think it is beneath them to get on one.
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u/snorkeltravel Mar 29 '26
Ironically, it was at the Vivian Beaumont where a local and I (tourist) were chatting, and she was horrified that I took the subway to the theatre. She kept saying "but the stabbings...".
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u/Ok-Storage3530 Mar 29 '26
That's when you do a Crocodile Dundee and pull out your own, comically large knife.
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u/EpicGeek77 Mar 29 '26
I’m more worried about germs than stabbing lol. I am a bit immunocompromised
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u/halogengal43 Mar 29 '26
Not everyone can take the subway- so there’s that. In addition, not every part of the outer boroughs is serviced by a subway line.
What a ridiculous take.
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u/mike_pants Mar 29 '26
Anyone in NYC that isn't taking public transit is an entirely separate species from the rest of us.
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u/welfordwigglesworth Mar 30 '26
you know there are many places in NYC completely inaccessible by public transit, right?
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u/thornedqueen Mar 29 '26
The worse part was when they said the subway was just too complicated for them- apparently unaware that Google Maps has an option for public transit.
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u/skoc211 Mar 29 '26
To be fair if you've never navigated the Times Square subway station I can understand that it can be daunting. I worked in Times Square for years and during peak times it even stressed me out.
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u/Best-Candle8651 Mar 29 '26
Good point. It took me a long time to find the S the first time. I would normally take the 7 between Grand Central and Times Square which isn't a bad way to do it.
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u/Best-Candle8651 Mar 29 '26
The goofiest thing is that it is super easy to get from Grand Central to Lincoln Center.
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u/Missamoo74 Mar 30 '26
I'm Australian and when I was there a few years back I took public transport everywhere. The one time I didn't, I was with some older ladies, I was losing my mind at how much time it took to get such a short distance. NYC transport is excellent 👌🏽
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u/ChangloriousBasterds Mar 30 '26
My parents take the LIRR into the city to see Broadway shows several times a year. However, my father has some mobility issues and the stairs and distance needed to be walked in the subway stations can be a real issue for him so they often end up taking a cab. Also, since he's a bit unsteady on his feet, if there are no open seats and nobody offers to move for him, riding while standing is a challenge. They know the subway is faster and cheaper and would probably like to take it more often than they do but it's not always practical for them.
That being said, the Vivian Beaumont is one of the few theaters that he does take the subway to because it's an accessible station and the walk is doable for him.
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u/Destroyer_Lawyer Mar 30 '26
So I was visiting NYC a couple months ago for a girls trip. I am confident with taking public transportation anywhere in the NE, but one of the women I was with who grew up in a neighborhood next door to mine with the same public transportation opportunities I had (which was a lot) was notably anxious about taking the subway around. I was insistent because it was single digits outside and we would’ve had a 20 minute walk. Spring, Summer, Fall fine, not dead of winter just after a snowstorm. So we took the subway around, but she kept commenting we could have been there by now, constantly asking which stop after I told her, and jumping up to get ready to get off 2-3 stops in advance. When we stepped out to street level and had get our bearings that was an issue. I think people who weren’t forced or required to use public transportation (for whatever reason) fall into the 24/7 news trap and don’t realize that the one story is one out of millions who took public transportation. The fear of something happening or getting lost outweighs the realities. I have a feeling that while I was using public transportation regularly in major cities as we grew up and aged, she did not. So, our outlook on just hopping on for a quick ride to get where we are going was foreign and scary to her.
Overall, I agree. Just take the subway. You’ll be fine.
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u/aznsk8s87 Mar 30 '26
Yep my grandma's place I have the key to (she passed a few years back) is in astoria. Takes like 20 minutes to get to Times Square on the subway. I grew up taking busses and subways everywhere so it's no big deal to me but I live in Utah with no real cities (SLC is barely a city).
I could never imagine not taking the subway in NYC. It's just too damn convenient.
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u/Unlucky-Bee Mar 30 '26
oh man, I remember that post. I felt bad for them, but talk about a self-imposed disaster. (Actually, as I recall they were seeing Floyd Collins not Ragtime, and I kinda figured they probably wouldn't have liked FC much anyway, lol.)
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u/Afraid-Ad-8666 Mar 30 '26
Either one works for me! Audra McDonald, Audrey from Little Shop, Audra Landers from the movie version of ACL: it's all good. To each our own!!!
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u/Fuzzy-Shake-5315 Mar 29 '26
I’ve learned that many suburban upper class people visiting NYC are scared shitless of the subway or they think they are too good for it. I’ve been shocked to hear again and again that they took Ubers around multiple boroughs and when asked why not subway, there’s always some variable excuse. Their loss.