“If I can, make it there… I’ll make it, anywhere!”
I gotta say, Google Maps works really well for the New York City Subway system.
However, I got so annoyed when people first told me to use this. “It’s so easy!” They’d say.
I DON’T KNOW HOW! I silently screamed on the inside. Like most things in life, they’re easy once you know how to do it. If you’re directionally-challenged like me… here is your little tutorial for navigating the NYC Subway using google maps (it’s worth learning):
Basic steps of finding your train:
- Follow The General Sign – Begin to familiarize yourself with the general direction you’d like to head. Brooklyn? Uptown? (It’s literally north.) Downtown? (It’s literally south.) First head in the direction of that sign. I’ve made the mistake of just following the Red Number or the Blue Letter, but you might hop on a bus going the wrong way. First follow the Word that says the general direction you’d like to head.
- Then Follow The Letter – Next, you can identify the Color and Number/Letter you’d like to use. (Whatever Google Maps Recommends.) I love the colors, I think they help a lot.
- Then Hop On Your Train – As a train approaches, the side of the train will have a Number/Letter. If it’s not the one you’re looking for, don’t get on! If it is, hop on! Trains leave about every 6 minutes, so if you miss it, don’t sweat it, you can hop on the next one. (Except at night… they seem to take forever at night…)
At the end of the day, follow the Google Map, and you should be good to go!
P.S. You don’t need to have a Metro Card to ride the Subway anymore. You don’t even have to buy a ticket. Here is a simple guide for entering and paying for the Subway – it’s $2.90 a trip.