NY 2004 Leonard Cohen Event Transportation Tips

The New York Event - before and after!
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NY 2004 Leonard Cohen Event Transportation Tips

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The following information will alöso be posted on the NY pages

NY 2004 Leonard Cohen Event Transportation Tips
by Linda and Dick Straub

Bring good shoes and do lots of walking! It’s that kind of town.


Subways:

Major Cohen Event locations are fortunately on the same subway -- #1 and #9 red
line, Broadway/7th Ave local trains. Beware of #2 and #3 red express trains, they don’t go to Columbia. Our Columbia stop for both dorms and International House sessions is 116th Street. The neighborhood is sometimes called “Upper West Side.”

Subway entrances are marked by “M” and the lines are distinguished by colors and numbers. Directions are labeled “Uptown” for Northbound trains, and “Downtown” for Southbound trains. Higher Street numbers are North. Avenues are also numbered, with low numbers (1st Ave) on the East Side and high numbers (12th Ave) on the West Side.

The #1 and #9 trains also include stops for Penn Station/34th Street (airport transfers and Southgate Towers), 23rd Street (Chelsea Hotel), Christopher Street/Sheridan Square (Greenwich Village and Scavenger Hunt), and Franklin Street (Knitting Factory).

Additional stops on the line that may be useful are 66th Street (Monday, June 14 Y Cohen Tribute at Makor), 59th Street/Columbus Circle (transfers), 42nd Street/Times Square (transfers) and the stops between Chambers and South Ferry (sight seeing Ground Zero, Wall Street, Staten Island Ferry).

Subway/bus fares are $2.00 and include transfers. Metro cards are sold at machines, subway station booths and some newsstands. See http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/index.html, then NYC Transit, for maps and fare options. There is a 20% discount when purchasing metro card in $10 increments, and up to four people can share same card. It costs $7.00 for one day unlimited rides, or$21 for seven day unlimited rides, but separate cards are required.



Walking Notes and Directions from Subway Stops:

For estimating distances, North/South blocks between numbered Streets have about 20 blocks to one mile. East/West blocks between Avenues are about three tenths of a mile. Although our Event locales are generally safe for both subway and walking, it is best to travel in groups of 4 or more in the very late hours.

Entrance to Columbia Quad and Event Dorms is at Broadway and 116th Street subway exit. Enter Columbia’s main gate and dorms are ahead and to the right.

For International House, walk North from 116th Street stop on Broadway to 122nd Street. Turn West for two blocks to Riverside. Turn North to main I-House entrance on right. About one half mile.
For Knitting Factory, walk South one block from Franklin Street subway to Leonard Street. Turn left for one and one half blocks. Less than one-fourth of a mile.




Your Airport Choice and Airport to Manhattan Options


New York City is served by three airports, LaGuardia, JFK International, and Newark Liberty. Each has pros and cons, although the number of flight options is the only pro I can offer for JFK. The best rule of thumb is to let your flight convenience and expense dictate your choice.

For a comprehensive overview of the airports and ground options visit the New York/New Jersey Port Authority website (http://www.panynj.gov).

Click first on the airport being used for your flight, then go to dropdowns for "transportation options" or "taxi information."



Taxis:

Taxis offer the most convenience when traveling with luggage, but are also most expensive. NYC taxi fares are based on mileage and timing, plus a $2.00 entry charge. When in motion (8 mph and up), the meter will register $1.50 per mile. When stopped or in slow traffic, the timer meter clicks on at 20 cents per minute. 15-20% tips are common, and passengers are also charged for any tolls encountered (and you can’t get into Manhattan without them). There is no charge for luggage, and four persons can share a cab.

LaGuardia is the closest airport to Columbia. It would be about a $20 taxi fare.

JFK has $35 flat taxi fare into town (but no flat rate for return trip).

Taxis from Newark may be too expensive, as tolls and a $10.00 surcharge are added to the meter.


Other Transportation Options -- Airport to Event:

LaGuardia has a regular MTA bus (M60) available for $2.00. It travels to Columbia (116 th and Broadway), same location as subway. No advantage in other bus/subway options since multiple transfers would be required.

JFK has subway train/bus options to Manhattan, where you can transfer to taxi or subways. Penn Station is the most logical destination choice for #1 and #9 trains. If coming into Grand Central, however, there is a shuttle subway to Times Square for accessing the #1 or #9 trains.

Newark has good commuter and long distance train options (NJ Transit and Amtrack) to Penn Station ($11.55, and 2/3 per hour). Buses are also available at about the same price.

Penn Station is recommended as best transfer point for most. It is direct route if staying at the Southgate (it’s across the street), and the #1 and #9 subways are available inside the building. Columbia would be reached on Uptown trains, while Knitting Factory would be on Downtown trains.
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