Buses in New York
Buses in New York are the second most popular way to get around after the subway. The best part? You get to see the streets of New York as you travel!
How Do Buses Work in New York?
- New York’s bus service runs 24 hours a day, every day. More than 3,700 buses serve the five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
- Each bus displays a route number and shows its starting point and destination.
- Buses in Manhattan have the letter M before their number. Buses serving other boroughs use different letters: B for Brooklyn, Q for Queens, Bx for the Bronx, and S for Staten Island.
- Most buses run one direction only, either north-south or east-west along avenues and streets. Northbound buses use 1st, 3rd, Madison, 6th, 8th, and 10th Avenues. Southbound buses use 2nd, Lexington, 5th, 7th, Broadway, and 9th Avenues. Crosstown buses run east-west on streets including 14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd, 49th, 57th, 65th, 79th, and 96th.
- Watch out for “Express” buses, which stop only every 10 blocks. They save time—if you don’t miss your stop.
How Much Does a Bus Ticket Cost in New York?
- The best way to ride the buses is with an OMNY New York card. You can buy these at subway booths, vending machines, and drugstores. The card automatically applies the best fare available for your trips.
- You can also use your credit card or phone to pay. OMNY is a contactless system that charges your bank account directly.
- If you prefer to pay per trip, note that bills are not accepted—you must pay with exact change in coins. Drivers don’t make change. Have your coins ready before boarding; fumbling for change can draw impatient looks from other passengers.
- If you need to transfer to another bus on the same trip, ask the driver for a “transit” ticket. It’s valid for two hours on any bus.
Manhattan Bus Network Map
Click the image below to view the official Manhattan bus network map.
