Travel Within Manhattan

Taxi

Once inside Manhattan, you'll find that yellow taxi cabs are ubiquitous. To hail one, just step to a clear space along the curb, look for a cab with a lit dome light, and raise an arm above your head. If a non-yellow "gypsy" cab tries to pick you up, reject it as they are not legally allowed to pick up "hails" on the street.

Depending on whether you start from the east or west side and upon the time of day (Midtown around 5:00 p.m. on a weekday occasionally reaches gridlock), a cab from Midtown to GISS will cost about $10-$15.

When giving a cab driver your destination, you will minimize confusion if you specify an intersection. In other words, one would state "corner of 112th and Broadway" rather than "2880 Broadway" in order to get to GISS.

Subway

GISS is located along the "IRT", the 1 train of the MTA subway system. The closest station on the line is the "Cathedral Parkway" stop at the corner of Broadway and 110th St., just two short blocks south of GISS. Also nearby is the Columbia University station at Broadway and 116th St. Upon exiting the station, just walk north or south on Broadway as appropriate until you reach 112th St.

As of July 2007, one subway fare is officially $2. Individual tokens are no longer sold and you should instead purchase an electronic Metro Card at any subway station. Cards may be purchased on a pay-per-ride basis or for unlimited use during a set timespan.

If you arrive in Midtown Manhattan by train or airport bus and wish to take a subway directly to GISS, you would:

From Grand Central Station:

Take the 7 train across town to Times Square and change to the 1, 2, or 3 uptown. If you take the 2 or 3, you must then transfer to the 1 train at either 72nd or 96th St.

From Penn Station:

From the east end of the station, take the 1, 2, or 3 train. Again, if you take the 2 or 3 you must then switch to the 1. Or...

From the west side of the station, take the A or C train uptown, and transfer to the 1 train at Columbus Circle (59th St.).

From the Port Authority Bus Terminal:

Take the underground pedestrian tunnel to Times Square, from whence you can take a 1, 2, or 3 train uptown; or...

Take the A or C uptown, and transfer to the 1 at Columbus Circle.

The 1 train is a local and shares a tunnel and some stations with the 2 and 3 express trains. If you are heading uptown to GISS on one of the express trains, you must transfer to a 1 train at either 72nd or 96th St. After 96th St., the 2 and 3 trains veer off to the east and go far away from GISS.

When catching any of the above-mentioned trains on your way from Midtown to GISS, you want to take the Uptown train.

If you have never visited New York before and your subway route to GISS includes a transfer at Times Square, allot yourself some extra time. Signs pointing the way to the various subway platforms are prominent, but it nevertheless can seem like a maze of twisty little passages, all alike. Things have improved due to the recent massive renovation of the station, but nevertheless.

Bus

The M104 and M4 buses of the MTA bus system pass GISS as they travel up and down Broadway. Just exit at either the 110th St. or 113th St. stop and walk the remaining block or two. South of GISS, the M104 continues down the Upper West Side on Broadway and thence into Midtown. The M4, however, turns east at 110th St. and after passing along the north edge of Central Park, turns south into the Upper East Side.

Also running through the neighborhood is the M11, which has a stop in front of the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, one block east of GISS at the corner of 112th St. and Amsterdam Ave. The M11 travels down Columbus Ave. to the west side of Midtown and comes back up on Amsterdam.

The M60 bus connects the GISS neighborhood with LaGuardia airport. The closest stop to GISS is at Broadway and 110th St.

If you have just arrived in Midtown Manhattan and wish to take a bus to GISS, it is possible, but it will be much slower than the subway, as buses usually stop every other block and are subject to traffic conditions. The M104 which travels up and down Broadway crosses Midtown on 42nd St. and can be caught outside Grand Central Station. The M4 does a little loop in Midtown and can be caught outside the Seventh Ave. entrance to Penn Station. The M11 can be caught outside the Port Authority, but it travels well downtown before coming back north.

Bus fare is $2, the same as subway fare. You must pay either using a Metro Card or exact change.

Bicycle and Skate

Delivery people riding bicycles are almost as common in New York as yellow cabs, and the city has been referred to as "the capital of street skating". When stepping off the curb to cross the street or when entering/exiting a cab, always keep an eye out for a cyclist or inline skater who might be zipping along. Be careful; some might not be traveling in the legal direction.