Buses, Local in New York
New York City operates 203 local and 30 express bus routes throughout the city. Buses service all five boroughs 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
In Manhattan, you'll find buses running North/South along most of the Avenues and East/West (cross town) along the major Streets: 14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd, 57th, and the Central Park Traverses.
Fares: All buses now cost $2.00 except for special express buses, which are $5.00.
Paying the fare. Pay in exact change (coins only), token or Metrocard.
TYPTip: Carry lots of quarters (25 cent pieces). They are very useful for buses, parking meters, and telephones.
Metrocard. With Metrocard your rides can cost less. You can purchase Metrocards for either single or unlimited rides from subway station booths, Metrocard vending machines, on Metrocard Buses and Vans or through neighborhood merchants. All information about the Metrocard is available on the Metrocard page of the MTA website.
Free Transfers: You get free transfers (ticket for taking another bus) from cross town to avenue buses and vice-versa if requested from the driver at the time of boarding the bus. If you use your Metrocard to pay for the subway, you get free transfers from the subway to buses within two hours of start of your trip simply by using your Metrocard when you enter the bus. Nothing will be deducted from the card. If you pay your fare with coins, you may transfer free betwwen buses with intersecting routes. Ask the bus driver for a transfer when you pay your fare.
Maps: Bus maps are posted in subway stations and are distributed free-of-charge in most bus and subway stations, at the MTA information booths at Pennsylvania and Grand Central Stations (open daily, 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.) and Times Square.
Information: For further information about bus service, airport shuttles, and to hear delay reports, call the NYC Transit Authority at 718-330-1234 6am-10pm, seven days a week. For a list of key New York City Transit telephone numbers for customer information please Click Here.
Schedule: During the week days, buses on Avenues operate every 15 - 20 minutes "off peak" and every 10 - 15 minutes during "rush hours." During the evening hours (19:00 - 2:00) they operate about every half hour. On weekends, they operate every half hour.
Between 22:00-5:00, the "Request-A-Stop" service is available on all lines, in addition to regularly scheduled stops. This means you may request to be dropped off at an unscheduled stop along the route, provided the driver deems it safe
TYPNote: Don't take buses during rush hour if you are in a hurry. The ride can be very slow. Better to take a subway.