So you want to ride the New York City subway?

Great idea. It's the preferred way for locals to get around.

But with 468 subway stations at 24 separate lines, you'll need to know a few things first.

Easy. You look for the green ball outside. That way.

The New York City subway lines are organized by letter, number and color.

Some stations like Union Square in Time Square have an entrance that leads to all lines.

Uptown or downtown? Make sure you know you're going in the right direction.

A standard ride on the subway is $2.50 for a single ride MetroCard.

As long as you stay underground, you can ride numerous lines on the same card.

And even transfer to a bus for no additional fee.

If you're in New York for a week, it pays to buy the weekly pass.

with the black stripe facing toward you and down.

Well, I do believe you should wait for people to come out and you should wait to the side,

and when they're out, you should get in and you should get people some space.

You know, if you see somebody elder or if you see somebody handicapped or somebody's pregnant, get out of your seat and let them sit down.

When the mariachi band walks through, you know the door, it's kind of like it's gonna be that kind of the morning.

You know, there're certain cars you don't want to get into it.

If you're in the morning, you see you go into an empty subway car, there's a reason it's empty.

Enjoy the experience that performances at work and lots of people watching can be found below ground.

As you can see, a little local advise makes a big difference in New York, even better is having a local to show you around.

If you'd like to tour the city with expert New Yorker, visit walksofnewyork.com

Specializing in unique local experiences. They'll show you everything from iconic attractions to secret sights that few visitors ever discover.

For details on booking, visit the Walksofnewyork.com.

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How to take the subway in New York City, tips from local New Yorkers