Advanced subway guide (when you're ready to level up) → ua-cam.com/video/5fPCAiE9ti4/v-deo.html All about the MetroCard → ua-cam.com/video/3XHA4LczF2A/v-deo.html CORRECTION: The A is not the oldest subway line, but it is the longest.
The 9th Ave. Line was an El. The first underground line that is part of the current system is the IRT Broadway Line. Previosly, there was an experimental line using a vaccum.
@@stevefish3124 And for the super history nerds, part of that IRT Broadway line can still be seen in the Times Square station. If you go to the Shuttle to Grand Central and cross over toward the furthest Shuttle platform (or the exit that's over there) and look around, you'll see the walkway goes over some [currently] unused tracks -- a small section of the IRT Broadway line that's a little bit of preserved subway history still on view.
@UrbanCaffeine, you forgot to mention that the stations with the 'entrances' that have red balls instead of the green ones are station _exits_ and can't be used to enter a subway station.
I am a retired NYC subway train operator (motorman). This is the best video explanation of the system that I have seen. Congratulations, young lady. Excellent job!!!!!
If I could meet you, I would thank you over and over and over for this video. We traveled to New York City from Tennessee and I must’ve watched your video 100 times. Everything you said is spot on and we enjoyed this trip so much more thanks to you. My husband was working while my mom and I “played.” She is 79 and I was 53. This was in the middle of May 2023. I would’ve been so lost without your video. We rode the subway so many times that week. We didn’t get lost at all. Mostly my issue was trying to figure out where to exit the subway and get re-oriented once outside. To anyone reading this, watch this video over and over. Every time, you will grasp something that you may not have grasped before. I sure hope you see my comment because I want you to know how much you helped us enjoy our trip. I could go on and on, but, your video rocks! And so do you!
@@UrbanCaffeine Correction: The "A" train is not the oldest Subway line. It is the longest. The oldest is that if the No. 1 IRT which opened on Thursday, October 27th 1904. The first stations were from City Hall to 145th Street
I cannot fully express how grateful I am for this video. I went to New York last December with my wife and this was a lifesaver. I have never had an easier time using an unfamiliar transit system, much less one of the size and complexity of New York's. The only hiccup we had was getting lost looking for a transfer area when we had to get off the train unexpectedly because it suddenly switched to Express (good thing I at least knew that was a possibility though, thanks to this vid). Fantastic job!
I've lived in NYC for almost 50 yrs and your videos are telling me more than I knew. I love them and I love your dedication to the research. I'm officially a fan.
It's been 4 months since we've returned from our Manhattan vacation and wanted to thank you for your video. We rode the subway numerous times and never went down the wrong stairs or took the wrong train. Sometimes we would repeat something you told us so that we would remember as we're pointing/walking, lol. If/When we return, we'll watch again. This was probably the most intimidating part of visiting.
Even after riding the NYC subways for decades, I learned several new things from this video. You are AWESOME! Thank you! My dad taught me about the IND, BMT and IRT yet I had totally forgotten it until you reminded me. Nice! And he didn't know the bit about differing sizes, as far as I know.
Very useful information that should be required viewing for all visitors or new residents to NYC. As usual, outstanding graphics/visuals with very clear, well-written narration. All your content is superbly done and it is pretty evident you spend a lot of time researching and producing your episodes. Thank you for all your hard work!
Hi Thea, I just got back from my holiday to NYC and after watching this video, navigating the subway was a breeze! Between Google Maps and understanding the signage/uptown/downtown/local/express etc I felt like a local using the subway multiple times a day to get around. Such a helpful video!
I'm a regular rider of the MTA but have never figured out the logic of the system. Your video really opens my eyes! It clarifies a lot of confusions and puzzles that have bothered me for years!
I'll be visiting my wife at NYC in a few months and she's pretty sure I won't be able to ride the subway without getting confused and lost. I've watched this video so many times to surprise her with my subway knowledge. Thank you for making such a complete video!
Thank you SUBWAY SUPERHERO ! It is clear that NYC has a complicated Subway System….but believe me, it is nothing compared to the one in Shinjuku Station in Tokyo ! Been in Japan many times, I have been lost, moving around in circles, ended up in wrong platform, boarded the wrong train, wrong exit etc etc…but once you get to know the color coded directions, it is indeed easier…
I love you. You are my favourite person ever. Today I had to take the subway for the first time and spent at least 15 min trying to figure it out. Your video explained everything so well that now I feel like I know the subway system in New York better than the public transport system in my home country. I am so happy that I got to find your video because all the information is so clear and well explained. Thank you :)
Get the Citymapper app for your phone. You tell it where you’re going and it tells you which trains or buses to take and which subway station entrance or exit is best.
Tips from a local here, if you see two people in an altercation anywhere around this city, mind your business and keep it moving. That's how most people get beat up out here.
Moving to New York this Thursday, and this is very useful information! I actually lived in Tokyo for two years back in 2017-18, and I've got to say their extremely complex subway and train system seems downright simple compared to this. Seems that the NY subway system is long overdue for some renovation and streamlining, though I understand that it costs a billion dollars to move a sign or something like that haha.
@@josecobianandrade8038 Why because he rents a one bed shithole and works 12 hrs a day ? Traveling around the world staying one month in top places and not working requires bank my friend......
Thank you! I used only your videos to successfully learn how to use the subway and buses in New York for my trip! It was a great experience! It was awesome after a long drive not having to drive around in city traffic and I was able to keep my car parked my whole trip and travel with the subway/buses!
Thea's videos are so helpful. Just returned from NY with my wife and Thea's UC subway video helped us get around Manhattan with confidence. It made our visit that much more enjoyable and we saved some $$ not having to take the taxi everywhere. In fact, we didn't have to take the taxi or Uber once while we were in Manhattan and Flushing/Queens. Thank you Thea and UC!
watching all these videos as a new yorker is really fun because sometimes theres info that i didnt know or did know and forgot, and every time i watch these i get a better way to explain the subway system to my out of city/state friends
One of the best videos that I've seen. Our daughter is planning a trip to NY in August with a friend, I hope I can get her to watch this video to prepare herself for what to expect. She's watched others, but yours is the most complete.
Thank you! Yes, please share. My next video is on using the Metrocard and other ways to pay for public transportation. Good luck to your daughter! August is definitely one of the hotter months but there will be plenty to see and do.
@@UrbanCaffeine we are going to be in town from the 18th to the 22nd to film for our channel, and then she's flying in with a friend on the 21st, and staying a few days. We're going to pass our unlimited metro cards to her and her friend when we leave, so she can keep using them. Keep up the good work!
My daughter and I have been to NYC 2 times now. Our first trip last year was great and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The subway signage was very confusing for us when we were there. We took trains traveling opposite of the direction we wanted at least 3 or 4 times. I studied the subway system on Google maps regularly up until our second trip last week. Our trip wasn't as great as last year because of some complications and us having to fly back home early. We didn't take any wrong trains or get lost this time though. We won't have to stand at the platform with me checking for sure we catch the right train now that I know how to read the signage better. I'm going to show this video to my daughter before we take our next trip there. People were we're from always talk negatively about NYC when most of them have never even been there. We love it! As a tourist it's an absolutely amazing city and we look forward to coming back before we even catch our plane back home each time. My daughter and myself have decided we're going to visit regularly.
I used to visit the city when I was in hs cause my mom lived in Queens. Then she moved out west where my dad and I lives and haven't been in more than 15 years. My parents and I are finally visiting after all this time for a wedding, and decided to stay in the city for 3 nights and make it a quick trip. I need to relearn how to use the subway, and this has been so helpful! It's giving me a lot of nostalgia just seeing the lines and all. I remember taking the 7 a lot! For this trip, we're staying in Chelsea and there's def a lot of researching beforehand to figure out the lines we need to take to get to places. I'm both nervous and excited but hoping this trip goes as smooth as possible.
Studying this video like my life depends on it. I am planning a trip to New York at the end of September. This is my first time going to New York by myself and I want to get this right so I don't look like a newbie. Thank you for this info. It is so helpful.
The way you explained the details of subway, and how it works, is really awesome… 👏 I’m a New Yorker but I learned a lot from you! 👍 Your hard work is really appreciated! 😍
Thank you for this explanation. I'm a Maryland native who is used to the Washington Metro. I was immediately thrown off by NYC subway entrances that only give you access to part of the station. Our system is not nearly as extensive but much more centralized.
Your explantation to the New York Subway Guide plus the history of how the NYC Subway systems have started is pure genius. At the end of the day, I shall watch more videos about Subway stations and how to ride an MTA train. Thank you for uploading this on UA-cam, Miss Urban Caffeine. : )
Great video, Thea, the subway can be a little intimidating the first time, but it doesn't take long to become efficient, I have found as well the local new yorkers will always help if you look lost, Thanks, keep up the great videos
I wish this video was available on my first subway ride years ago! I studied the map determined to educate myself. As you mentioned, after a few attempts the whole process made sense.
Thank you SUBWAY SUPERHERO Thea who took a lot of photos in the subway! Thea's video helped me read the platform signages a bit better. And yes, I wish that there's an underpass in every station to go to the other side. Sometimes I got into the wrong direction lol. About the metro card, thank you we have OMNY! It's a game changer. But some people don't like the privacy issue. If Thea wants to make a hour-long video about the history of Subway, I'm sure people would still want to watch it.
Thanks again for watching! Agree on the OMNY. It's so convenient! I still don't understand the privacy issue. Is it any different than any other credit card transaction?
not me watching this and already knowing everything💀 this is a very good guide tho, and would be a lifesaver to many people also a few things, the IRT trains are still the same smaller width and height they originally were (~8.5 feet wide and 11 feet tall vs. ~10 feet wide and 12 feet tall for the BMT/IND trains)
Sometimes I'm glad for UA-cam's recommendation algorithms. I'm about to go on my first trip to NY and had watched a video from the MTA about OMNY. Then UA-cam recommended one of your videos. It was very helpful and informative. I'm going to watch as many as I can. Thank you! SUBWAY SUPERHERO
I am a native new Yorker and have been taking the subway most of my life. You were giving me information on the subway that I didn't even know about like the different subway lines. Or since I live in Queens the reason why the M line is where it is .
Thanks! I haven't 100% confirmed the history of it. I just wanted to point out that the subway went through several re-orgs and that's why we have the weird labeling today.
This video has had some of the best explanations I’ve seen for interpreting signage and general navigation. Too many videos handwave away this confusing aspect of using the system. My one critique is that more information regarding how service changes work and where to find info regarding them would be helpful. You went over one example of a C train suddenly going express, but service changes can certainly get far more convoluted, and can be very confusing to new riders. Overall, very informative video!
Thanks for watching! I thought about the service changes, but they all depend on each train (not a one-size-fits-all explanation). Maybe a topic for a future video!
Although some of these has become instinctual and common knowledge, to some, this is a great guide and refresher. Some signs and labels sort of make sense yet you have managed to reveal extra details of what else they actually mean. It's like there was something more to what is a generalized understanding on what the sign means.
You are awesome! I am so glad I found you! I am working in New York now, and I have gotten lost twice getting in the wrong subway. Almost arriving late at work under a lot of stress. I found your videos very helpful! good job! and thanks!
I rode the subway for years ever since I was boy. I lived in Bushwick and the best train there used to be called the "LL". I see now that it is just the "L" I would take it to school at Halsey Street, JHS 296 because I was in the SPE school program. It was a brand new school and I was impressed. No red brick exterior, no crumbling ceilings and a real cafeteria instead eating in the basement under all the pipes. In one summer I made it a point to ride every train end to end. It was always a pleasant surprise when you came out of the dark tunnel into the sunlight as some trains became elevated lines. The ride to Rockaway was the most pleasant ride traveling over the water to the end. The trains that ended in Queens were the nicest because you saw trees and other greenery. Brooklyn was much older and looked rundown in comparison. My family had lived in Brooklyn for hundreds of years. We were a Dutch and Huguenot family and Brooklyn was a real Dutch settlement with the Wyckoff farms and old families like the van Buskirks, Van Nostrands .A lot of us still attended the old Dutch Reformed Churches. I would get off the trains and walk some of the streets. Some neighborhoods were so different than mine. Queens seemed so new with private homes with gardens and lawns. Manhattan: I went to work for New York Telephone and was assigned to the World Trade Center cabling the buildings and installing telephones for the new tenants. The ride on the train every day became monotonous. I took the LL to 8th Avenue and then E or A into the complex, Sometimes the CC Local. I lived one block from the De Kalb Avenue station. I lived on the other end of the station, Stanhope Street. It was a good area to live in. I was one block from Queens Ridgewood section. I could also use the "M" train three blocks away on Knickerbocker Avenue or a little further at Wyckoff Avenue. I would take different trains home just for a change of scenery. That crowd scene in the video is what it was like under the WTC. All the trains came to downtown and you could walk underground between them. In the 1970s everything changed. The city was going bankrupt and maintenance and cleanliness on the subways seemed to be last on the agenda. More broken down trains, dirty car and stations. Crime picked up. there were more purse snatches and gold chains ripped from people's necks. Even wristwatches. With fewer police riding the trains antisocial behavior picked up speed. Graffiti covered the cars inside and out. There were more vagrants riding and urinating and defecating in the cars. At night we were advised to ride in the middle car where the police were stationed. With so many car out of service the ones running were crowded. I rode one one day that was so crowded were packed in like sardines. Someone was pinching my butt and I couldn't figure out who was doing it. I vowed never to take a train that crowded ever again. It's been 43 years since I rode the trains. I left because I really couldn't stand the city anymore. And it was too expensive to live there. We wanted an affordable home and they didn't exist in New York. And I was tired of the cold weather. So I transferred to Charlotte, NC. I missed the city for a while but two trips in 1984 for my grandfathers' funerals affirmed that I'd made a good choice. Stay safe.
Subway superhero. You have helped me a lot to understand using the subway. Thank goodness I saw your video before I got to NYC and decided to use the subway. I feel a bit more comfortable to try it though confidence won’t come till later. Thank you very much.
Wow, wow, wow! Thanks. That breakdown of the signage was invaluable. I had to slog through nine videos before I found yours. Someone give her a pay raise!
Loved this. I would only add if you entered a station and paid and realized it’s going in the wrong direction ask the people around you or ask the attendants because even as a native NY living here for 20+ years I still don’t know which stations offer transfer to the train going in the opposite direction. So either ask or go to the station attendant or simply just pay the fare again instead of getting lost. It’s totally not worth you getting off and on at everything single station and wasting more time then simply just exiting the station and crossing the street to the train that goes in the direction you want to go.
I grew up on Long Island and, while I occasionally used the NYC subway, I never understood it. (I just did everything by rote.) This video makes everything a lot clearer. I am impressed!
Most of those service changes happen on weekends. My first mistake on my 1st trip to New York was getting on a C train thinking it would stop at 96th street but then it went all the way up to 125th street without stopping because I failed to realize that they were working on the uptown local tracks that weekend. They post signs about the service changes and provide alternative travel options so you don't get confused. I look forward to coming back to New York and riding the subway again after the mask mandates end.
I love this. I was just saying I wanted to begin exploring the city and different boroughs by using the trains. I've lived in the city all my life and I still don't know how to get to Chinatown Town. Thanks for sharing.
These are the best videos out there on practical tips for NYC. We mastered the subway system on our first day thanks to these videos. I recognize the #6 train there, we rode it the most from near our AirBnB in Kips Bay.
I just visited NYC and successfully took the train from Queens to the WTC. Very intimidating but not impossible to figure out if you have time to think about where you are going.
Having ridden the NYC transit for over 43 years, I didn’t realize how complicated it was. I used to just find on the subway map the staton I was at and then the one I wanted to go to, and there I was. I used the same system in the London Underground and the Paris Metro.
@@imagineaworldlikethat4081 In the many years I rode the subway, I only saw one rat. It was not on the train but down by the rails. But I left NYC in '97 so I can't speak for today. This is a big city, so safety is always a problem anywhere. If you ride during rush hours, it should be pretty safe. I used to come home from meetings after 11 PM at times and it was a bit nerve wracking at times because the trains were relatively empty, but I was never attacked.
Thanks for the video. I am traveling to NY in September. I was planning on taking an uber everywhere because subway looks so confusing. I will watch this video a couple of times and try the subway. :)
I moved here a couple months ago and this video was truly so helpful! SUBWAY SUPERHERO, and I love the description of the entrances as having Pokéball lamps!
Regarding Platform signage, it's better it is inconstant. If you list just the terminals, it shows the direction of travel. But it does not tell you which train you need. Listing intermediary points help you figure which direction you need to go. I believe NY was the first with seperate tracks for local-express service. That was necessary to be able to travel the distance within a reasonable time.
Looking forward to this... in previous trips, my experience was that no matter which stairs I used, i knew the first set is going to be the wrong one. I'd go down, look lost, ask someone, and inevitably have to walk back upstairs, cross the street, and go down another set of stairs.😅 I'm from San Francisco; once we go downstairs, it's all the same trains. Anyway, this time I'm hoping to at least look like I belong and get it right the first time🤦🏻♀Thank you!
Just watched. I'm a subway superhero :) Actually I'm a fan of metro/subway systems. I've visited NYC for ~3 times and I feel pretty comfortable navigating through the system 😄
Thanks for posting this and all others. I'm plowing through your channel as I'm going to NYC this fall. (I'm in South Carolina.) I enjoy how organized your videos are.
ive been considering moving to nyc for a long time now…im actually pretty much dead set on it at this point and hoping to move there within the next year or two, so this video was very helpful!! i also just like learning abt metro systems, i think theyre very interesting. i am still kind of intimidated by it tho.. the largest city if ever been to that had a metro system i went through was chicago, and chicago is a much smaller city, therefore the cta isnt as intricate as the nyc subway system (and i was with my friend who’d lived there his whole life so he already knew how to navigate it)
This is such an informative video, thank you. Am just off to NYC and going to be using the subway system. This video has given me a lot of confidence to use it. Thanks.
Advanced subway guide (when you're ready to level up) → ua-cam.com/video/5fPCAiE9ti4/v-deo.html
All about the MetroCard → ua-cam.com/video/3XHA4LczF2A/v-deo.html
CORRECTION: The A is not the oldest subway line, but it is the longest.
The 9th Ave. Line was an El. The first underground line that is part of the current system is the IRT Broadway Line. Previosly, there was an experimental line using a vaccum.
@@stevefish3124 And for the super history nerds, part of that IRT Broadway line can still be seen in the Times Square station. If you go to the Shuttle to Grand Central and cross over toward the furthest Shuttle platform (or the exit that's over there) and look around, you'll see the walkway goes over some [currently] unused tracks -- a small section of the IRT Broadway line that's a little bit of preserved subway history still on view.
It is also used for the shuttle trains to cross over to the main line for Maintenance or replaced in the train yard.
@UrbanCaffeine, you forgot to mention that the stations with the 'entrances' that have red balls instead of the green ones are station _exits_ and can't be used to enter a subway station.
Do u have a bf? Very curious 😊
I am a retired NYC subway train operator (motorman). This is the best video explanation of the system that I have seen. Congratulations, young lady. Excellent job!!!!!
Thanks so much! Feel free to share with people who might need this. 😊
@@UrbanCaffeine Hi, do you have any metro app suggestion that works without mobile data?
Hi how much is a unlimited pass for. Week
@@thetraveldynasty7915 Don't ask me. I don't know. Direct your inquiry to Urban Caffeine directly. Good luck.
@@thetraveldynasty7915 Don't ask me. I don't know. Direct your inquiry to Urban Caffeine directly. Good luck.
Two words. Google Maps lol helped me out so much, you just follow along and it tells you when to get off and transfer
If I could meet you, I would thank you over and over and over for this video. We traveled to New York City from Tennessee and I must’ve watched your video 100 times. Everything you said is spot on and we enjoyed this trip so much more thanks to you. My husband was working while my mom and I “played.” She is 79 and I was 53. This was in the middle of May 2023. I would’ve been so lost without your video. We rode the subway so many times that week. We didn’t get lost at all. Mostly my issue was trying to figure out where to exit the subway and get re-oriented once outside. To anyone reading this, watch this video over and over. Every time, you will grasp something that you may not have grasped before. I sure hope you see my comment because I want you to know how much you helped us enjoy our trip. I could go on and on, but, your video rocks! And so do you!
Thanks for this nice note. It's heartwarming to hear you had a great time in NY while using public transit. 😊
This video needs to be the official subway guide, anyone, ANYONE, can learn from this video. Very well done.
This is the more complete subway guide I've seen, thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching.
@@UrbanCaffeine Correction: The "A" train is not the oldest Subway line. It is the longest. The oldest is that if the No. 1 IRT which opened on Thursday, October 27th 1904. The first stations were from City Hall to 145th Street
As someone with ZERO sense of direction, this video is essential viewing. Thank you!
I'm glad it's helping you out! The subway is confusing enough, especially when they have service changes. 😂 Thanks for watching!
I cannot fully express how grateful I am for this video. I went to New York last December with my wife and this was a lifesaver. I have never had an easier time using an unfamiliar transit system, much less one of the size and complexity of New York's. The only hiccup we had was getting lost looking for a transfer area when we had to get off the train unexpectedly because it suddenly switched to Express (good thing I at least knew that was a possibility though, thanks to this vid). Fantastic job!
It's always nice to hear how this video was helpful. Glad you had a good time! 😊
I've lived in NYC for almost 50 yrs and your videos are telling me more than I knew. I love them and I love your dedication to the research. I'm officially a fan.
It's been 4 months since we've returned from our Manhattan vacation and wanted to thank you for your video. We rode the subway numerous times and never went down the wrong stairs or took the wrong train. Sometimes we would repeat something you told us so that we would remember as we're pointing/walking, lol. If/When we return, we'll watch again. This was probably the most intimidating part of visiting.
For those of us that need to know the "why" behind everything, this is so incredibly helpful. Thank you!!
I needed to know the why too! 😀
Even after riding the NYC subways for decades, I learned several new things from this video. You are AWESOME! Thank you!
My dad taught me about the IND, BMT and IRT yet I had totally forgotten it until you reminded me. Nice! And he didn't know the bit about differing sizes, as far as I know.
Fantastic guide, thanks very much. I’m visiting in November 2023, so this is very useful!
Very useful information that should be required viewing for all visitors or new residents to NYC. As usual, outstanding graphics/visuals with very clear, well-written narration. All your content is superbly done and it is pretty evident you spend a lot of time researching and producing your episodes. Thank you for all your hard work!
I truly appreciate how much you appreciate these videos. Thank you for continually watching!
I just found this video does anybody else think this was like SO HELPFUL tysm!!!
Hi Thea, I just got back from my holiday to NYC and after watching this video, navigating the subway was a breeze! Between Google Maps and understanding the signage/uptown/downtown/local/express etc I felt like a local using the subway multiple times a day to get around. Such a helpful video!
So happy to hear you had a successful subway experience! I hope your trip went well. Thanks for the comment!
I'm a regular rider of the MTA but have never figured out the logic of the system. Your video really opens my eyes! It clarifies a lot of confusions and puzzles that have bothered me for years!
🤓 Subway Superhero... Wow, didn’t know NYC is so big...
Indeed it is. Manhattan is so small if you think about it. Thanks for watching!
I'll be visiting my wife at NYC in a few months and she's pretty sure I won't be able to ride the subway without getting confused and lost. I've watched this video so many times to surprise her with my subway knowledge. Thank you for making such a complete video!
Good luck! 🤞
Very, very well done.
I was born and raised in NYC and this is very detailed, thorough and accurate. 👍🏾
Thank you! 😀
@@UrbanCaffeine Great job! I have lived here in NYC for so long but never seen something so detailed!
Thank you SUBWAY SUPERHERO ! It is clear that NYC has a complicated Subway System….but believe me, it is nothing compared to the one in Shinjuku Station in Tokyo ! Been in Japan many times, I have been lost, moving around in circles, ended up in wrong platform, boarded the wrong train, wrong exit etc etc…but once you get to know the color coded directions, it is indeed easier…
That sounds rough! At least you can count on trains in Japan to be on schedule 😃
I love you. You are my favourite person ever. Today I had to take the subway for the first time and spent at least 15 min trying to figure it out. Your video explained everything so well that now I feel like I know the subway system in New York better than the public transport system in my home country. I am so happy that I got to find your video because all the information is so clear and well explained. Thank you :)
I'm moving to NYC soon and I really appreciate having videos like this to help orient me before I'm there!
Happy to help! Good luck on your move!
Get the Citymapper app for your phone. You tell it where you’re going and it tells you which trains or buses to take and which subway station entrance or exit is best.
Tips from a local here, if you see two people in an altercation anywhere around this city, mind your business and keep it moving. That's how most people get beat up out here.
Great video. I am headed to NYC in October so I'll update then. Thanks for the info.
Best nyc subway i've ever watched
Moving to New York this Thursday, and this is very useful information! I actually lived in Tokyo for two years back in 2017-18, and I've got to say their extremely complex subway and train system seems downright simple compared to this. Seems that the NY subway system is long overdue for some renovation and streamlining, though I understand that it costs a billion dollars to move a sign or something like that haha.
haha, if you have been riding the Tokyo system then you are in for an adventure with New York! Good luck on your move and thanks for watching 😊
Damn bro you got money 💰
@@josecobianandrade8038 Why because he rents a one bed shithole and works 12 hrs a day ? Traveling around the world staying one month in top places and not working requires bank my friend......
@@__PJ__ tell me more! 👀 maybe I can learn a few things from you
@@josecobianandrade8038 Work hard and be kind to your Mother ! :)
Thank you! I used only your videos to successfully learn how to use the subway and buses in New York for my trip! It was a great experience! It was awesome after a long drive not having to drive around in city traffic and I was able to keep my car parked my whole trip and travel with the subway/buses!
You're welcome! And thanks for the nice message. 😊 It's good to hear that my content has made your travels easier.
Thea's videos are so helpful. Just returned from NY with my wife and Thea's UC subway video helped us get around Manhattan with confidence. It made our visit that much more enjoyable and we saved some $$ not having to take the taxi everywhere. In fact, we didn't have to take the taxi or Uber once while we were in Manhattan and Flushing/Queens. Thank you Thea and UC!
watching all these videos as a new yorker is really fun because sometimes theres info that i didnt know or did know and forgot, and every time i watch these i get a better way to explain the subway system to my out of city/state friends
Your NYC public transportation made me so confident in traveling the city when I visited for my first time. Thank you so much!
One of the best videos that I've seen. Our daughter is planning a trip to NY in August with a friend, I hope I can get her to watch this video to prepare herself for what to expect. She's watched others, but yours is the most complete.
Thank you! Yes, please share. My next video is on using the Metrocard and other ways to pay for public transportation. Good luck to your daughter! August is definitely one of the hotter months but there will be plenty to see and do.
@@UrbanCaffeine we are going to be in town from the 18th to the 22nd to film for our channel, and then she's flying in with a friend on the 21st, and staying a few days. We're going to pass our unlimited metro cards to her and her friend when we leave, so she can keep using them. Keep up the good work!
@@UrbanCaffeine by the way, we're from Texas, so chances are we'll be going to NY to get away from the heat.
Even better! I use to borrow people's unlimited card before. 😂
@@EscapingtheEmptyNest We escape the heat from Sydney when we relax in Texas :)
This is very useful and well-made, thank you!! We’ve been re-watching and are learning more every time as advertised 🙂
So glad to hear! Many thanks! 😊
Traveling for the first time to NYC . This is the most helpful video I've seen. SUBWAY SUPERHERO!!!
Nice info. Thanks. I think😊
My daughter and I have been to NYC 2 times now. Our first trip last year was great and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The subway signage was very confusing for us when we were there. We took trains traveling opposite of the direction we wanted at least 3 or 4 times. I studied the subway system on Google maps regularly up until our second trip last week. Our trip wasn't as great as last year because of some complications and us having to fly back home early. We didn't take any wrong trains or get lost this time though. We won't have to stand at the platform with me checking for sure we catch the right train now that I know how to read the signage better. I'm going to show this video to my daughter before we take our next trip there.
People were we're from always talk negatively about NYC when most of them have never even been there. We love it! As a tourist it's an absolutely amazing city and we look forward to coming back before we even catch our plane back home each time.
My daughter and myself have decided we're going to visit regularly.
I used to visit the city when I was in hs cause my mom lived in Queens. Then she moved out west where my dad and I lives and haven't been in more than 15 years. My parents and I are finally visiting after all this time for a wedding, and decided to stay in the city for 3 nights and make it a quick trip. I need to relearn how to use the subway, and this has been so helpful! It's giving me a lot of nostalgia just seeing the lines and all. I remember taking the 7 a lot! For this trip, we're staying in Chelsea and there's def a lot of researching beforehand to figure out the lines we need to take to get to places. I'm both nervous and excited but hoping this trip goes as smooth as possible.
Studying this video like my life depends on it. I am planning a trip to New York at the end of September. This is my first time going to New York by myself and I want to get this right so I don't look like a newbie. Thank you for this info. It is so helpful.
That was excellent. Riding the subway since forever you nailed every little inconsistency in the system,
Right? 😂 It's so annoying when I'm trying to explain to anyone visiting.
The way you explained the details of subway, and how it works, is really awesome… 👏 I’m a New Yorker but I learned a lot from you! 👍 Your hard work is really appreciated! 😍
Always happy to help out. Thanks for watching!
@@UrbanCaffeine you’re very welcome!
Thank you for this explanation. I'm a Maryland native who is used to the Washington Metro. I was immediately thrown off by NYC subway entrances that only give you access to part of the station. Our system is not nearly as extensive but much more centralized.
Great video as always. You do a fabulous job explaining the subway system Big thumbs up 😎👍
I watched almost all your NY videos; they are informative, extremely helpful and very thoughtful. Thank you for great work!
Your explantation to the New York Subway Guide plus the history of how the NYC Subway systems have started is pure genius. At the end of the day, I shall watch more videos about Subway stations and how to ride an MTA train. Thank you for uploading this on UA-cam, Miss Urban Caffeine. : )
Thank you for watching! I'm glad you like the videos.
@@UrbanCaffeine I did. Only one video I watch yesterday. Also, thanks for replying. : )
@@UrbanCaffeine Also, you are very welcome and always to welcome yourself to New York.
Great video, Thea, the subway can be a little intimidating the first time, but it doesn't take long to become efficient, I have found as well the local new yorkers will always help if you look lost, Thanks, keep up the great videos
I think the best way to learn how to get around is to get lost. 😂Lol. But true, locals are always willing to help out.
Thanks! As a New Yorker, I Loved the video!
Thanks for watching! Glad you liked it.
Tip: Watch on 1.25 speed for enhanced experience!
Awesome, informational video!!!
The M is still a BMT line. In 2010 before the route changed to Orange, it used to be brown. Also, it uses 8 cars like the J, Z and L.
This is very helpful! The information that the trains run in the same direction as the traffic is new to me.
I wish this video was available on my first subway ride years ago! I studied the map determined to educate myself. As you mentioned, after a few attempts the whole process made sense.
Thank you SUBWAY SUPERHERO Thea who took a lot of photos in the subway!
Thea's video helped me read the platform signages a bit better.
And yes, I wish that there's an underpass in every station to go to the other side.
Sometimes I got into the wrong direction lol.
About the metro card, thank you we have OMNY!
It's a game changer. But some people don't like the privacy issue.
If Thea wants to make a hour-long video about the history of Subway, I'm sure people would still want to watch it.
Thanks again for watching! Agree on the OMNY. It's so convenient! I still don't understand the privacy issue. Is it any different than any other credit card transaction?
@@UrbanCaffeine It may be worth reading the privacy concern on Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OMNY#Concerns
not me watching this and already knowing everything💀
this is a very good guide tho, and would be a lifesaver to many people
also a few things, the IRT trains are still the same smaller width and height they originally were (~8.5 feet wide and 11 feet tall vs. ~10 feet wide and 12 feet tall for the BMT/IND trains)
Amazing Job. Great editing. Knowledgeable information
Thanks a lot! 😊
Sometimes I'm glad for UA-cam's recommendation algorithms. I'm about to go on my first trip to NY and had watched a video from the MTA about OMNY. Then UA-cam recommended one of your videos. It was very helpful and informative. I'm going to watch as many as I can. Thank you! SUBWAY SUPERHERO
I am a native new Yorker and have been taking the subway most of my life. You were giving me information on the subway that I didn't even know about like the different subway lines. Or since I live in Queens the reason why the M line is where it is .
Thanks! I haven't 100% confirmed the history of it. I just wanted to point out that the subway went through several re-orgs and that's why we have the weird labeling today.
As a born and raised New Yorker, I concur with this video. Learned a little about the history of subway 👍🏾
Thanks! 😊
This video has had some of the best explanations I’ve seen for interpreting signage and general navigation. Too many videos handwave away this confusing aspect of using the system.
My one critique is that more information regarding how service changes work and where to find info regarding them would be helpful. You went over one example of a C train suddenly going express, but service changes can certainly get far more convoluted, and can be very confusing to new riders.
Overall, very informative video!
Thanks for watching! I thought about the service changes, but they all depend on each train (not a one-size-fits-all explanation). Maybe a topic for a future video!
Although some of these has become instinctual and common knowledge, to some, this is a great guide and refresher. Some signs and labels sort of make sense yet you have managed to reveal extra details of what else they actually mean. It's like there was something more to what is a generalized understanding on what the sign means.
You are awesome! I am so glad I found you! I am working in New York now, and I have gotten lost twice getting in the wrong subway. Almost arriving late at work under a lot of stress. I found your videos very helpful! good job! and thanks!
I rode the subway for years ever since I was boy. I lived in Bushwick and the best train there used to be called the "LL". I see now that it is just the "L" I would take it to school at Halsey Street, JHS 296 because I was in the SPE school program. It was a brand new school and I was impressed. No red brick exterior, no crumbling ceilings and a real cafeteria instead eating in the basement under all the pipes.
In one summer I made it a point to ride every train end to end. It was always a pleasant surprise when you came out of the dark tunnel into the sunlight as some trains became elevated lines. The ride to Rockaway was the most pleasant ride traveling over the water to the end. The trains that ended in Queens were the nicest because you saw trees and other greenery. Brooklyn was much older and looked rundown in comparison. My family had lived in Brooklyn for hundreds of years. We were a Dutch and Huguenot family and Brooklyn was a real Dutch settlement with the Wyckoff farms and old families like the van Buskirks, Van Nostrands .A lot of us still attended the old Dutch Reformed Churches. I would get off the trains and walk some of the streets. Some neighborhoods were so different than mine. Queens seemed so new with private homes with gardens and lawns.
Manhattan: I went to work for New York Telephone and was assigned to the World Trade Center cabling the buildings and installing telephones for the new tenants. The ride on the train every day became monotonous. I took the LL to 8th Avenue and then E or A into the complex, Sometimes the CC Local. I lived one block from the De Kalb Avenue station. I lived on the other end of the station, Stanhope Street. It was a good area to live in. I was one block from Queens Ridgewood section. I could also use the "M" train three blocks away on Knickerbocker Avenue or a little further at Wyckoff Avenue. I would take different trains home just for a change of scenery. That crowd scene in the video is what it was like under the WTC. All the trains came to downtown and you could walk underground between them.
In the 1970s everything changed. The city was going bankrupt and maintenance and cleanliness on the subways seemed to be last on the agenda. More broken down trains, dirty car and stations. Crime picked up. there were more purse snatches and gold chains ripped from people's necks. Even wristwatches. With fewer police riding the trains antisocial behavior picked up speed. Graffiti covered the cars inside and out. There were more vagrants riding and urinating and defecating in the cars. At night we were advised to ride in the middle car where the police were stationed. With so many car out of service the ones running were crowded. I rode one one day that was so crowded were packed in like sardines. Someone was pinching my butt and I couldn't figure out who was doing it. I vowed never to take a train that crowded ever again.
It's been 43 years since I rode the trains. I left because I really couldn't stand the city anymore. And it was too expensive to live there. We wanted an affordable home and they didn't exist in New York. And I was tired of the cold weather. So I transferred to Charlotte, NC. I missed the city for a while but two trips in 1984 for my grandfathers' funerals affirmed that I'd made a good choice. Stay safe.
It's gotten much better since the '80s but the current political decisions are starting to take it back in terms of management and crime.
Subway superhero. You have helped me a lot to understand using the subway. Thank goodness I saw your video before I got to NYC and decided to use the subway. I feel a bit more comfortable to try it though confidence won’t come till later. Thank you very much.
Wow, wow, wow! Thanks. That breakdown of the signage was invaluable. I had to slog through nine videos before I found yours. Someone give her a pay raise!
Glad you found this channel! 😊 I hope you won't have too much trouble navigating the subway.
This is the most helpful and informative video I have ever seen regarding the subway - thank you
You deserve a million subscribers
Thank you!!!! I am going to New York in 2 days. This is gonna help big time 🙏🏾
That's great! Have fun on your trip ☺️
Loved this. I would only add if you entered a station and paid and realized it’s going in the wrong direction ask the people around you or ask the attendants because even as a native NY living here for 20+ years I still don’t know which stations offer transfer to the train going in the opposite direction. So either ask or go to the station attendant or simply just pay the fare again instead of getting lost. It’s totally not worth you getting off and on at everything single station and wasting more time then simply just exiting the station and crossing the street to the train that goes in the direction you want to go.
As someone that just moved to Jersey City recently, this is amazing! Thank you for this vid!
Im going to Nyc and after seeing this vid I’m less scared. Amazingly explained!
Subway superhero!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to make this. I was really intimidated as a tourist here for my first time. I got it now!
Thanks for watching! So happy to help. 😊
I'm a regular subway taker and this still taught me some new stuff
I grew up on Long Island and, while I occasionally used the NYC subway, I never understood it. (I just did everything by rote.) This video makes everything a lot clearer. I am impressed!
Thanks for watching!
thank you very much, i am planning to move to NYC, and as the subway is the main means of travel within the city, this video was very helpful
Thanks for watching! Good luck on your move 🙌
Amazing video!!! Ive watched quite a few subway videos lately and yours is by far the best! Thank you!!!
Most of those service changes happen on weekends. My first mistake on my 1st trip to New York was getting on a C train thinking it would stop at 96th street but then it went all the way up to 125th street without stopping because I failed to realize that they were working on the uptown local tracks that weekend. They post signs about the service changes and provide alternative travel options so you don't get confused. I look forward to coming back to New York and riding the subway again after the mask mandates end.
I love this. I was just saying I wanted to begin exploring the city and different boroughs by using the trains. I've lived in the city all my life and I still don't know how to get to Chinatown Town. Thanks for sharing.
These are the best videos out there on practical tips for NYC. We mastered the subway system on our first day thanks to these videos. I recognize the #6 train there, we rode it the most from near our AirBnB in Kips Bay.
Happy to hear you enjoyed your trip!
The first subway line was the IRT in Manhattan (1904), followed by the BRT/BMT and then IND in the 1930's.
Currently in NYC and needed this for tomorrow. Thanks.
I just visited NYC and successfully took the train from Queens to the WTC. Very intimidating but not impossible to figure out if you have time to think about where you are going.
I'm a train and I approve this informative video!
Thanks for watching!
Wow, thank you! It's so structured and so many tips given to understand all this complicated system! thanx again!
Thank you SO MUCH for this video! The subway system always felt like a foreign language to me. This helped me understand things way better.
Having ridden the NYC transit for over 43 years, I didn’t realize how complicated it was. I used to just find on the subway map the staton I was at and then the one I wanted to go to, and there I was. I used the same system in the London Underground and the Paris Metro.
Hello, do you see a lot of rats on the trains itself and is the subway unsafe? Do the rats ever attack people?
@@imagineaworldlikethat4081 In the many years I rode the subway, I only saw one rat. It was not on the train but down by the rails. But I left NYC in '97 so I can't speak for today. This is a big city, so safety is always a problem anywhere. If you ride during rush hours, it should be pretty safe. I used to come home from meetings after 11 PM at times and it was a bit nerve wracking at times because the trains were relatively empty, but I was never attacked.
Thanks for the video. I am traveling to NY in September. I was planning on taking an uber everywhere because subway looks so confusing. I will watch this video a couple of times and try the subway. :)
SUBWAY SUPERHERO indeed!! You nailed it!!
So many NY guides are about the UA-camr. Thank you for making it about the information!
Thank you for the very details video! I am headed to NYC this weekend and excited to use the subway!
I moved here a couple months ago and this video was truly so helpful! SUBWAY SUPERHERO, and I love the description of the entrances as having Pokéball lamps!
Regarding Platform signage, it's better it is inconstant. If you list just the terminals, it shows the direction of travel. But it does not tell you which train you need. Listing intermediary points help you figure which direction you need to go.
I believe NY was the first with seperate tracks for local-express service. That was necessary to be able to travel the distance within a reasonable time.
Looking forward to this... in previous trips, my experience was that no matter which stairs I used, i knew the first set is going to be the wrong one. I'd go down, look lost, ask someone, and inevitably have to walk back upstairs, cross the street, and go down another set of stairs.😅 I'm from San Francisco; once we go downstairs, it's all the same trains.
Anyway, this time I'm hoping to at least look like I belong and get it right the first time🤦🏻♀Thank you!
Good luck! 🍀 I wish it were as easy as SF.
Great video. Lots of intense/detailed/confusing info. You did an excellent job of explaining it and making it easy to understand. 👏👏
This was hands down the most helpful video I have seen on the NY subway system. Thank you!
Wow, thanks! Glad it was helpful.
I really enjoyed watching this very interesting great explanations good job
Just watched. I'm a subway superhero :) Actually I'm a fan of metro/subway systems. I've visited NYC for ~3 times and I feel pretty comfortable navigating through the system 😄
Thanks for posting this and all others. I'm plowing through your channel as I'm going to NYC this fall. (I'm in South Carolina.) I enjoy how organized your videos are.
Thank you! It's much appreciated. 😊 Fall is my favorite season in New York. Good luck on planning your trip!
This was really quite good. Nice introduction to the subway system. And yes, I watched the whole thing.
ive been considering moving to nyc for a long time now…im actually pretty much dead set on it at this point and hoping to move there within the next year or two, so this video was very helpful!! i also just like learning abt metro systems, i think theyre very interesting. i am still kind of intimidated by it tho.. the largest city if ever been to that had a metro system i went through was chicago, and chicago is a much smaller city, therefore the cta isnt as intricate as the nyc subway system (and i was with my friend who’d lived there his whole life so he already knew how to navigate it)
I am calling you: The QUEEN OF THE MTA!🎉❤😊
Thanks for answering my question and I found the information about where to get off to get back on the AirTrain also useful. Alan
Hi thea, Ill be in nyc for couple of months and this intro to subway is a big help for me to explore the city 😊 big thanks!!!
This is such an informative video, thank you. Am just off to NYC and going to be using the subway system. This video has given me a lot of confidence to use it. Thanks.