Tomorrow morning I will leave for the big apple! It will be a great comeback for me, 20 years after I saw it (and I remember very little). In these months I have searched and collected various information that could be useful, and I thought to share them here with you, in a dedicated post!
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
Check your passport in good time: it must be “electronic” and must last for another six months from your return from the USA to be accepted as a travel document.
Whether your stay is for business or pleasure, if you stay up to 90 days you do not need a visa! However, you must remember to apply for the ESTA.
TIME ZONE
New York City is located on the “Eastern Standard Time (EST)”, that is five hours behind the time in Greenwich (GMT).
AIRPORTS
International flights to New York last about 8/9 hours (minimum) and land mainly in two airports:
John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK Airport)
It is located in the southern part of Queens. The vast majority of international flights and a good number of domestic flights arrive at this airport. It is one of the largest and busiest airports in the United States. You can reach the centre of New York by subway.
La Guardia Airport
The first airport in New York for construction, wanted by the mayor of Italian origins Fiorello La Guardia. Located in the northern part of Queens, arrives all the domestic flights, few international and intercontinental flights
There is also a third airport serving New York, the Newark International Airport which is located (already) in New Jersey and offers international and domestic flights. However, they often find flights for the other two, in particular for JFK.
TRANSFER LA GUARDIA – CITY CENTER
Public transport (or by bus of private companies)
There are various possibilities to choose from:
1) New York Airport Service Express Bus
It’s a private bus that stops at every terminal and takes passengers to Manhattan, making stops at various points on the island such as Port Authority, Bryant Park, Penn Station, Grand Central Station (and even in front of major hotels).
The costs are $ 12 for one way and $ 21 for round trip.
The frequency is about 30 minutes between runs, and the journey takes from 25 to 40 minutes depending on where you go down (and traffic of course). For more information, go to the nyairportservice.com website.
2) Public bus M060 + Subway N or W
This transfer is a little bit more complicated but cheaper.
From the airport you take the M060 urban bus that stops at every terminal, from Astoria Blvd (still in Queens, about 10-15 minutes from the airport) you have to take the subway, choosing the line N or W: Both reach Manhattan (midtown) in 35-40 minutes.
The costs are meagre (about $ 5 total), but if you buy the MetroCard for unlimited travel (over a period), then both the bus and the metro will be included in the subscription. In this case, it is better to ask the driver for the best stop to get off.
3) Public Bus Q33 (Q47) + Subway E F V R 7
Another mixed solution, as economical as the previous one (but slightly more “complicated”).
From the airport, you take the urban bus Q33, which stops at all the terminals apart from the “Marine Air” (from there you take the Q47) and arrives in the Jackson Heights area (in Queens) where they pass five metro lines to Manhattan. Even in this case, it is worth the advice to ask the driver or someone else to indicate the right stop for the change. Costs identical to before, so with the MetroCard the trips are both included.
[source: viaggiovero.com]
Taxi
The most convenient method concerning time, but certainly the most expensive; the ride to Manhattan varies from $ 25 to $ 37 depending on the area where you are staying, and you must add a tip of around 15% -20% and the toll (around $ 6). If you have several suitcases, they may not enter the boot.
TOURIST INFORMATION
NYC & co deals with tourist information about the city of New York;
The address is 810 7th Avenue (on the corner with 53rd street). The metro stop is 42nd St-Times Square (lines N, R, W, 2,3);
Hours: 8:30 am – 6:00 pm Monday to Friday and 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Saturday and Sunday;
You can find other branches at airports, at Times Square, at Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station.
ELECTRICITY
The voltage is 110 Volts, and the electric sockets are of a different type compared to those used in Italy (or in the most European country). It is necessary to obtain the so-called “American socket” composed of two flat contacts: this means that we have to get the adapters! If you forget before leaving, I advise you NOT to buy them at the airport: you would risk spending an eye on the head! Wait until you get out and buy the adapter in the city.
SHOPPING
While I was looking for some advice about where to go shopping, I found information that I had forgotten: the prices of goods displayed in stores in New York (and I believe in the US in general) do not include local taxes (comparable to our VAT) ranging from 8% 9% depending on the product categories.
TIPPING
In the United States, give a tip to the waiters it’s normal.
There are recommended percentages for each situation where you should (should) tip: 10/15% (of the total bill) to the restaurant waiters, 15% to the taxi driver, 1 dollar to the porter’s luggage, 10-15 % at the barman and 1-2 dollars at the parking lot. You don’t need to leave tips for “fast food” or “drive-in”, in shops, cinemas and theatres.
To make sure you leave “the right amount”, some sites that gather useful information recommend “doubling” the amount of taxes. For payments by Credit Card, you will receive the receipt with the item “TIP” to be completed in pen.
