Train vs. Subway

If you're not aware of this, the train is DIFFERENT from the subway, and both require different kinds of tickets. The train uses a one-way or round-trip pass that you can buy from a special machine at the train station. The same machine will ask you if you'd like a Metrocard as well. Buy a Metrocard; you can keep money on it to let you onto the subways later on.


The train. AKA Long Island Railroad (LIRR).

The train takes you from Babylon to Manhattan, which is the city. Babylon is a little town that's kinda smushed together with West Islip and Bayshore and all that. When you're going to the city itself by train, you're going to start in Babylon and end up at Penn Station. Coming back, you'll start at Penn Station and end up in Babylon.

Brooklyn's station is a little different, I can't remember the name, but if you're ever lost in New York City and need to get home, Babylon is where you want to end up. Sometimes you have to switch trains in Jamaica when going from Penn Station to Babylon.

These directions totally make sense once you're here!

Helpful website: http://lirr42.mta.info/index.asp


About Subways

The subway scoots you around the city and spits you out near museums an other stuff you might want to see in New York.

Get a Streetwise Metro Map to fold up into your wallet. It tells you all the different routes and stations. I'm leaving the one that Nick and Elaina gave me so that the next intern can grab it, but in case you lose that one, more are available at the local Barnes and Noble bookstore.

The Metro Maps have nice color-coded and labeled paths that each subway takes.

Pro Tip: Whatever direction the street is going where you enter the subway, the subway below is going in the same direction! So if you plan on heading east, make sure all the cars are going east before venturing below.