Mapping your route around Manhattan with the MTA

New York, the subway system can seem daunting. But it doesn’t have to be.

First things first: The most important line you’ll need to know is, conveniently, the 1, which stops right outside the main Columbia gates at 116th Street and Broadway. It runs from the southernmost tip of Manhattan (South Ferry, from which you can walk to Battery Park or take the ferry to Ellis Island) all the way north through Manhattan into the Bronx.

In between, the 1-line stops at or near most of the major spots on the West Side. You can take it to Lincoln Center, Columbus Circle, Times Square, and Penn Station. The 2 and the 3 lines run express on the same route from Chambers Street downtown to 96th Street before cutting east. They stop at Chambers, 14th, 34th, 42nd, 72nd, and 96th.

If you need to get anywhere else downtown, take the 1 to Times Square (42nd Street), where you can transfer to the N, Q, R, or W (which stops at Union Square and various spots in Greenwich Village), the A, C, E, or 7, or the shuttle to Grand Central station, where you can catch the 4, 5, and 6 Lexington Avenue lines on the East Side. To get to the East Side north of 42nd Street, you’ll need to take a crosstown bus, like the M96, M86, or M79. If you transfer to a bus within half an hour of getting on the subway, or vice versa, the transfer is free.

The 1 runs faithfully day and night, though the wait will be longer if you’re coming home at 3 a.m. Don’t be scared to ride the subway late, but be sensible and alert, stay in well-lit areas, and if the train is empty and you’re alone, ride in the conductor’s car. The 2 and 3 lines often run local at night, but be sure to transfer to the 1 at 96th Street, because the 2 and 3 split off there and go into central Harlem.

The base fare to ride the subway is $2.25, but if you buy a MetroCard worth $8 or more, you get a 15 percent bonus. It’s worth it both financially and environmentally to refill your card when it runs low instead of buying a new one each time.

All this may seem overwhelming at first, but rest assured, within a few weeks you’ll be riding the subway like a pro. Then the real fun starts: making fun of clueless tourists.