Need To Know

Welcome to the Big Apple! New York will definitely make you fall in love with it, it has so many beautiful things to see and fun things to do that every person can find something that suits their interest. However, keep in mind that, as it's such a big city and as it has so many things to do, you most likely won't be able to see it all in one visit.

Take your time enjoying everything: the majestic buildings, the lush parks, the picture-perfect shops, the incredible skyscrapers with a view, the informative museums... but also take your time to do some people watching! There are so many different cultures and people living in the city that makes it unique. Don't miss that because you're in a race to see the next landmark! Take your time and enjoy it.

New York isn't a dangerous city in itself, but as in every other big and touristic city you have to be careful with pickpockets.

There are some districts that are harsh but don't worry, they are nowhere near the city center and the most visited areas.

There's a reason why New York is called The City that Never Sleeps! Some places to eat and even some shops are open during the whole day, for example some in Times Square.

In a more normal schedule, shops often open at 9 am and close around 8 pm, but it varies as much as there are stores, so you should check in advance if you want to get somewhere specific.

There are different options to get around the city:

Subway: this is definitely the best way. At first it may seem difficult to use it but once you figure it out you'll see it's not difficult. You just have to find out the Letter and Number of the line you have to catch and then figure out if you're Uptown or Downton bound or Brooklyn or Harlem bound, depending in which direction you're going to.

To ride the metro and bus, there are 2 types of MTA MetroCard that work good and that can be bought in station machines:

- Pay-Per-Ride: you can buy an MTA Card, charge it with certain amount of money and you will be discounted every time you use the metro or bus. If the money runs out you can always charge some more.

- Unlimited Card: it has unlimited trips but it goes for days, for example 7 days.

Taxi: they are everywhere inthe city, but keep in mind that if you are in rush hour the traffic gets unbareable and it could take a lot of time to get somewhere close by.

Uber or Cabify: works like a taxi but you ask for it from the app. It's normally a little bit cheaper than taxis.

English is the norm, but it's a multicultural city, so you will definitely hear different languages and meet people that speak many of them. 

There are different types of passes that consist of a tourist bonus that includes predetermined tickets. It is very practical and with a single purchase you already have all the tickets with you. You should take a look at the options and see exactly what program they offer, calculate prices of the places you want to visit separately and prices of the tourist card, and decide if it is worth it or not.

1. New York City Pass

With this pass, once on site you will have priority when entering the place of interest and in many cases you will avoid the long queues. If you are interested in the tickets, the price difference between buying the voucher and buying the tickets separately is a bit more than 40%, so as you can see, it's really worth it! The New York CityPASS includes 6 tickets: 3 fixed and 3 to choose. The price is $126.00 for adults and $104.00 for kids ages 6-17 >>> Link NY CityPASS with all the information and from which you can buy it directly.

2. NYC Sightseeing Pass:

There are two different passes: one in which you can choose 10 attractions of 100, the Flex Pass, and another one in which you can choose how many days you want it for, the Day Pass. The price goes from $129.00 for Day Pass and $69.00 for Flex Pass You can check their website to see if it fits your interests >>>> Link NYC Sightseeing Pass. 

3. NYC Explorer Pass:

This pass lets you choose between 3, 5, or 7 attractions and tours of over 80 options. The price goes from $89.00 You can check this website to see if it fits your interests >>>> Link NYC Explorer Pass.

Keep in mind that prices shown on the label in the USA don't include the taxes, they do it once at the checkout counter. So it will be a little bit more expensive than what the label says.

Tips are expected in restaurants and taxis. In the case of restaurants, it's around 20% and first you have to check if it's already included in the ticket under the name tip, service fee or gratuity. If not, you can include it. For taxis, the minimum tip is $1.

There are different ways in which you can get to the city from JFK Airport:

1. By AirTrain + Subway: This is the cheapest option and it's very easy to follow. The AirTrain works 24/7 and stops at every terminal of the airport. You'll need a MetroCard to pay, you can keep it to use it during your trip because it's refillable. The AirTrain connects with the Jamaica Station Line where you can take the E, J and Z lines of the subway, and with the Howard Beach line, where you can take the A line. The AirTrain costs $5 and a single subway ride is $2.75 and you should calculate approximately 60-90 minutes.

2. AirTrain + LIRR: This is the fastest option with public transport and cheaper than a taxi. You should take te AirTrain to the Jamaica Station Line and from there take the LIRR train and go to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan. The AirTrain costs $5, the LIRR costs $10 and you should add the cost of the subway/taxi/bus to where you'll be staying. This will take approximately 35 minutes.

3. Shared Van Service: There are different companies (GoAirLink and SuperShuttle) that offer a door-to-door shuttle service in shared vans, so it's as if it were a taxi but cheaper. The cost depends on where you're going, but calculate $20 per person, and the time depends on wether the van is full of passengers or not, and if you're the first ones to be dropped off or the last ones.

The options are:

1. AirTrain: this train connects with NJ Transit and Amtrak trains which will bring you into Manhattan. With just approx. $11.55 you can get from the airport to Penn Station. Service is available from 5 a.m. until 2 a.m.

2. Private Shuttles: Go Airlink NYC has shared service at $12 per person or private service between $64-133 per transfer.. Available 24hrs. Newark Liberty Airport Express will take you to some center stations. The price is $16 for one-way and $28 for a round-trip, they leave every 15-30 minutes for midtown Manhattan and every 2 hours to downtown Manhattan, and it takes approx. 1 hours to get there. SuperShuttle provides door to door service and the price range is $15 - $19, depending on the destination.

3. Taxis: it's the most expensive option, the metered fare (plus tolls) to any Manhattan location costs approximately $50-75. Also, keep in mind that there's an additional charge for luggage over 24 inches.

The options are:

1. Airport Shuttles:  There are different companies (NYC Airporter and SuperShuttle) that offer a door-to-door shuttle service in shared vans, so it's as if it were a taxi but cheaper. The cost depends on where you're going, but calculate $20 per person, and the time depends on wether the van is full of passengers or not, and if you're the first ones to be dropped off or the last ones.

2. Q70 Limited Bus + Metro: this is the cheapest option but definitely not the fastest one. It will cost you $2.75 per person after you pay $1.00 for a Metrocard and it can take up to 2 hours. Also, I wouldn't recommend it if you have lots of luggage because you'll have to carry them up and down stairs a couple of times.

3. Taxi: it's the easiest option but the fare will depend of the traffic. Calculate approx. $50, also depending on the destination.

Almost every country in the world needs a Visa to get into the United States. If you are eligible for the Visa Waiver program you can access the process through this link (the list of the nationalities that apply are in that link too) and if you're not eligible for that, you should access this link and follow the steps that are stated there.