New York General Information
Population
New York City : 7,380,900. Metropolitan
New York (including the Tri-State area): 19,938,492.
Area of City
Manhattan is 23 sq mi/59 sq km. The total area of all five boroughs
(Manhattan, Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens and Staten Island) is 301 sq
mi/780 sq km.
Country
New York City is not located in one county; the five boroughs serve
as countries.
Weather
Hot summers and cold winters; mild springs and pleasant, crisp falls.
Clear skies 29% of the time; partly cloudy skies 34%; cloudy skies 37%.
Annual rainfall: 40 in; heaviest rain in July and August. Annual snowfall:
29 in.
Average temperatures:
Jan 24-37 Fahrenheit/-4-3 Celsius;
Feb 24-38 F/-4-3 C; Mar 30-45 F/-1-7 C; Apr 42-57 F/6-14 C; May 53-68
F/12-20 C; Jun 66-82 F/19-28 C; Jul 66-82 F/19-28 C; Aug 66-80 F/19-27
C; Sep 60-79 F/16-26 C; Oct 49-69 F/9-21 C; Nov 37-51 F/3-11 C; Dec
29-41 F/-2-5 C.
City Holidays
1999: 31 May, Memorial Day; 4 Jul, Independence Day; 6 Sep, Labor
Day; 11 Oct, Columbus Day; 11 Nov, Veterans Day; 25 Nov, Thanksgiving;
25 Dec, Christmas.
2000: 1 Jan, New Year’s; 17 Jan,
Martin Luther King Day; 21 Feb, Presidents’ Day; 29 May, Memorial
Day; 4 Jul, Independence Day; 4 Sep, Labor Day; 9 Oct, Columbus Day;
11 Nov, Veterans Day; 23 Nov, Thanksgiving; 25 Dec, Christmas.
Sales or Use Tax
Sales tax is 8.25%. You will pay an additional 5% tax for your hotel
room.
Emergency Numbers
Dial 911 for police and medical emergencies. Dial 212-577-7777 for the
Crime Victims Hotline; Victim Services provides assistance to victims
of rape and robbery and helps visitors find a way home if their money
has been stolen.
Telephone Codes
Manhattan: area code 212; a second area code, 646, is in the process
of being introduced. The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island:
718.
Time/Weather
Time: 212-976-6000. Weather: 212-976-1122.
Time Zone
Eastern Standard Time, five hours behind Greenwich Mean Time. Daylight
Saving Time is observed from the first Sunday inApril to the last Sunday
in October.
Passport/Visa Requirements
Confirm travel document requirements with carrier before departure.
Currency — US Dollar
To and from the airport
John F. Kennedy Airport
Distance to Midtown: 15 Miles
Time to Midtown : 50-60 minutes
Airport Information
1-718-244-4444
Subway link from JFK (Fare $1.50),
Take the shuttle bus to the Howard Beach station and then more than
an hour's ride into Manhattan. Other options: Gray Line minibus $16;
Carey Bus $13; yellow cab $30.
Grayline Air Shuttle
1740 Broadway, NYC 10019
212 315-3006
800 451-0455
New York Airport Shuttle
(718) 706 9658
Super Shuttle
52-15 11th Street Long Island City, Queens 11101
212 - 209 7000
800 - 258 3826
La Guardia Airport
Distance to Midtown: 8 miles
Time to Midtown: 30 minutes
Airport Information
1-718-476-5000
20-minute ride on the M60 bus ($1.50)
which runs between the airport and 106th Street at Broadway. The route
crosses Manhattan at 125th Street in Harlem where you can get off at
the Lexington Avenue subway station for the 4, 5 and 6 trains or at
Lenox Avenue for the 2 and 3. You can also disembark on Broadway at
the 116th Street-Columbia University subway station, where you can take
the 1 and 9 trains. Other options: Gray Line $13; Carey Bus $10; yellow
cab $25-$35.
Grayline Air Shuttle
1740 Broadway, NYC 10019
212 315-3006
800 451-0455
New York Airport Shuttle
(718) 706 9658
Super Shuttle
52-15 11th Street Long Island City, Queens 11101
212 - 209 7000
800 - 258 3826
Newark Airport
Distance to Midtown : 16 miles
Time to Midtown: 40-60 minutes
The New Jersey Transit bus company goes
to the Port Authority bus terminal (Eighth Ave between 40th and 42nd
Sts)
The fare is $7 and buses leave every 10-15 minutes (information 1-973-762-5100).
Olympia Trails (964-6233) leaves from Penn Station, Grand Central Terminal,
Port Authority and World Trade Center; the fare is $10 and buses leave
every 15-20 minutes. Various hotels also offer shuttles. Yellow cab
$45.
Grayline Air Shuttle
1740 Broadway, NYC 10019
212 315-3006
800 451-0455
New York Airport Shuttle
(718) 706 9658
Super Shuttle
52-15 11th Street Long Island City, Queens 11101
212 - 209 7000
800 - 258 3826
In & around the City
MTA - New York City Transit Authority
(718) 330-1234
Operates the largest fleet of public buses and one of the largest subway
system ( carrying 3.6 million passengers every day ) in the world. 24
hours and 7 days a week.
Single Fare : $1.50
Metro passes ( unlimited ):
- One day pass : $4
- Seven days pass : $17
- 30 days pass : $63
New York City Taxi & Limousine
Commission
Lost property and complaints-
212 - 302 TAXI
Public Affairs 212 676-1000.
The New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission regulates the "yellow"
fleet of almost 12, 000 licensed medaillon taxis.
Taxis can be found at many hotels and
transportation terminals. Yellow medaillon taxis are the only vehicles
authorized to pick up strret hails.
Fare begin at $2, then increases 30 cents
for each additional fifth or mile ( or every 90 seconds waiting time
).
Nightly 50 cents surcharge ( 8pm to 6am ).
Exchange offices
American Express Travel Service
65 Broadway between Rector
St and Exchange Pl (493-6500)
Subway: N, R, 1 to Rector St. Mon-Fri 8:30am-5:30pm.
AmEx will change money and traveler's
checks and offer other services such as poste restante. Phone for the
location of other branches. Chequepoint
USA
22 Central Park South between Fifth and
Sixth Aves (750-2400)
Subway: N, R to 59th St. 8am-9:30pm. Branch: 1568 Broadway at 47th St
(869-6281).
Foreign currency, traveler's checks
and bank drafts are available here.
People's Foreign Exchange
19 W 44th St between Fifth and Sixth Aves,
suite 306 (944-6780)
Subway: B, D, F, Q to 42nd St. Mon-Fri 9am-6pm; Sat, Sun 10am-3pm.
Free foreign exchange on banknotes
and travelers' checks.
Thomas Cook Currency Services
29 Broadway at Morris St (1-800-287-7362)
Subway: 4, 5 to Bowling Green. Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. There are seven branches
in JFK Airport, all open 7:30am-10:30pm daily (1-718-656-8444), in addition
to those listed below. Branches: 1590 Broadway at 48th St; 511 Madison
Ave at 53rd St (all branches 1-800-287-7362).
Complete foreign exchange service is offered.
Car hire
Avis
1-800-331-1212
24 hours. Rates from $50 a day, unlimited mileage; special weekend rates.
AmEx, DC, Disc, MC, V.
Budget Rent-a-Car
807-8700
In the city 6:30am-11pm, at the airports 5am-2am. Rates from $62 a day,
unlimited mileage; special weekend rates. AmEx, DC, Disc, JCB, MC, V.
Enterprise
1-800-325-8007
Mon-Fri 7am-7pm, Sat 8am-2pm, Sun 9am-9pm. Rates from $35 a day outside
Manhattan; around $60 a day on the island; unlimited mileage restricted
to New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. AmEx, DC, Disc, MC, V.
Emergencies
Fire : In
an emergency, dial 911
Police : In
an emergency, dial 911 For the location of the nearest police precinct
or for general information about police services, call 374-5000.
Ambulances : In
an emergency, dial 911 for an ambulance or call the operator (dial 0)
Emergency Rooms
Cabrini Medical Center
227 E 19th St between Second and Third
Aves (995-6120)
Subway: L, N, R, 4, 5, 6 to 14th St-Union Sq.
Mount Sinai Hospital
Madison Ave at 100th St (241-7171)
Subway: 4, 5, 6 to 96th St.
Roosevelt Hospital
428 W 59th St at Ninth Ave (523-4000)
Subway: A, C, B, D, 1, 9, to 59th St-Columbus Circle.
St. Luke's Hospital
1111 Amsterdam Ave at 113th St (523-3335)
Subway: 1, 9 to 116th St.
St. Vincent's Hospital
153 W 11th St at Seventh Ave (604-7998)
Subway: 1, 2, 3, 9 to 14th St; L to Sixth Ave.
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