Difference between revisions of "New York City"

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== Hitchhiking ==
 
== Hitchhiking ==
=== Heading North ===
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=== Heading North (I-87) ===
 
Advice: Don't get stuck in [[Albany (New York)|Albany]].
 
Advice: Don't get stuck in [[Albany (New York)|Albany]].
  
[[User:gerbennap|Gerben]] took the subway out on line 2 to the last stop, and then walked to the commuter train at Mt.Vernon East, direction Stamford, and got off at Rye. There you can start hitching on the onramp of the I287. [[User:gerbennap|Gerben]] used a sign saying 'Up North' and got picked up after 20 minutes and taken all the way to [[Albany (New York)|Albany]].
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* [[User:gerbennap|Gerben]] took the subway out on line 2 to the last stop, and then walked to the commuter train at Mt.Vernon East, direction Stamford, and got off at Rye. There you can start hitching on the onramp of the I-287. [[User:gerbennap|Gerben]] used a sign saying 'Up North' and got picked up after 20 minutes and taken all the way to [[Albany (New York)|Albany]].
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* [[User:lexande|Lexande]] was able to get a ride north from the ramps where Jerome Ave joins I-87 in the northern Bronx, near the last stop of the 4 train.  You may wait longer but this saves the expense and time of getting a commuter train further out.
  
=== Heading West/South-West (Interstate I78) ===
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=== Heading West/South-West (I-78) ===
The Interstate I78 is a road that more or less comes from NYC and passes New Jersey and leads into direction Harrisburg.
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The Interstate I-78 is a road that more or less comes from NYC and passes New Jersey and leads into direction Harrisburg.
 
Since New Jersey might be a little bit tricky and hitchhiking is kind of outlawed there, it can be best to take a bus ride.
 
Since New Jersey might be a little bit tricky and hitchhiking is kind of outlawed there, it can be best to take a bus ride.
For 20.5 dollars you can get to [[Allentown]] in [[Pennsylvania]], hence bypassing New Jersey.
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For 20.50 dollars you can get to [[Allentown]] in [[Pennsylvania]], hence bypassing New Jersey.
The bus leaves New York at the Port Authority bus terminal. In Allentown you can walk or hitchhike (within the city) to the entrance of the I78.  
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The bus leaves New York at the Port Authority bus terminal. In Allentown you can walk or hitchhike (within the city) to the entrance of the I-78.  
  
 
=== On I-95, toward [[New Haven]], [[Providence]], and [[Boston]] ===
 
=== On I-95, toward [[New Haven]], [[Providence]], and [[Boston]] ===

Revision as of 10:13, 16 January 2014

New York City is the largest city in New York State. Generally, when travelers say they are from or going toward "New York", they are referring to this city, which is actually made up of 5 boroughs and 3 islands: Manhattan, Staten Island, and Long Island (which Brooklyn and Queens are a part of). The Bronx, the fifth borough, is connected with the mainland of New York State.

One does not simply walk out of New York City.

Train hopping

New York City is a major hub for trains: freight trains, Amtrak, Metro-North, MTA, LIRR, NJ Transit, and PATH trains all pass in and out of this city. Although riding trains for free (train-hopping) is illegal, it is one of the most viable ways to get out of the city for free. In most passenger trains (NJ Transit, Amtrak, etc.), the only way to ride for free is to hide in a bathroom or display a "Seat Check" ticket found on the ground or from a previous ride. Generally speaking, if you are discovered to be riding without paying the proper fare, you will be asked to pay it. If you can not pay it, then you will be asked to exit the train at the next station. As long as you remain friendly and cooperative, there should not be a problem with legal issues, arrest, or fines.

Hopping freight trains is a common way to ride long distances for free. It is extremely practical to do if you have phone or internet access, because there are numbers and/or websites that will give you the direction that each freight is headed and its estimated time of arrival, based on that freight's identification number.

Hitchhiking

Heading North (I-87)

Advice: Don't get stuck in Albany.

  • Gerben took the subway out on line 2 to the last stop, and then walked to the commuter train at Mt.Vernon East, direction Stamford, and got off at Rye. There you can start hitching on the onramp of the I-287. Gerben used a sign saying 'Up North' and got picked up after 20 minutes and taken all the way to Albany.
  • Lexande was able to get a ride north from the ramps where Jerome Ave joins I-87 in the northern Bronx, near the last stop of the 4 train. You may wait longer but this saves the expense and time of getting a commuter train further out.

Heading West/South-West (I-78)

The Interstate I-78 is a road that more or less comes from NYC and passes New Jersey and leads into direction Harrisburg. Since New Jersey might be a little bit tricky and hitchhiking is kind of outlawed there, it can be best to take a bus ride. For 20.50 dollars you can get to Allentown in Pennsylvania, hence bypassing New Jersey. The bus leaves New York at the Port Authority bus terminal. In Allentown you can walk or hitchhike (within the city) to the entrance of the I-78.

On I-95, toward New Haven, Providence, and Boston

I-95 North runs along the Eastern coast of New York State and Connecticut at this point. Leaving New York City can be very complicated, especially getting past the Bronx, a borough full of decidedly "dangerous" low-income neighborhoods. When amylin was researching on ways out, she found this quote on a website: "A hitchhiker killed in the Bronx will be referred to, by police, as a suicide victim."

  • amylin recommends taking the #2 subway train out to the last stop, Wakefield- 241st St. and walking about a mile from there to the Mount Vernon East Metro-North station, where you can take a local train a bit farther afield. To hitchhike to Providence, Rhode Island on a cold winter's day, she took the $4.75 train to Noroton Heights in Darien, CT, usually with changing trains in Stamford, and officially started from there. She recommends this route for hitchhiking North, especially if you don't want to spend a lot of money getting out of the city or time waiting outside. In Noroton Heights there is an on-ramp about 1km from the train station. There is a steady flow of cars who mostly have to stop before entering the on-ramp, and the area is suitable for low-key camping out. A local police patrol car passed her while she stood with her thumb out but did not harass her. (Whereas, if you take the Metro-North train from Grand Central Station in Midtown Manhattan, you'll pay almost double for the ticket, plus the $2,25 subway fare to get to the station. So, if you're already on the subway, you might as well get the most of your $2,25 and take it as far out as possible.) Zenit followed these instructions in July 2010 and highly recommends them as well. Also on the train his ticket was never checked.
  • Stove recommends taking the "B" or "D" subway to Fordham, and walking the six blocks south ("right") on Fordham Rd to Metro North. This requires less walking, and the New Haven Line trains stop here more frequently on their way north. This is still outside of the Manhattan fare price hike, and much easier/quicker to access.

If heading towards Vermont, take the Metro North all the way to Danbury, CT (Change in E. Norwalk). This puts one right on RT 7, which winds through the hills of Massachusetts and Vermont all the way to the Canadian border. Stove routinely takes this route, and cna easily make it to Burlington starting from Danbury in the morning.

Heading West

If you are trying to get to Pennsylvania or points West, your best bet is to take NJ Transit to Mt. Olive, New Jersey. This will get you out of the suburbs, and thus increase the likelihood of getting a long-distance ride. From the Mt. Olive train station, you can walk to the on-ramp of I-80. Be advised that hitchhiking is illegal just about everywhere in New Jersey, including shoulders and on-ramps, so use caution.

JFK airport

You don't have to take the 5 US$ Airtrain to get there or to get from JFK to the city. Take a local bus from terminal 5 (probably the Q10 to Lefferts Blvd, where you can transfer to the A subway train), you can pay $2.50 for the ride or if you get an unlimited card you can use that.

External links

trash:New York City