Tips for exits at subway stations.

[quiggle]

Friends, I'm still relatively new to New York, only having lived here for 3 years. This is a rather embarrassing to say, but for stops that have multiple exits (such as Atlantic Barclays, Jay Street Metrotech, Canal Street, Union Square), I tend to head out exits that are a few blocks from where I want to be. Some of the exit signs are very general and don't mention the cross-street, just the name of the station and a SE/SW/NE/NW direction. Are there any tips or suggestions on how to better navigate my sense of direction so the exit I choose is closest to where I'd like to go? Thank you!

[Union Tpke]

You will eventually find out, but on your spare time take time to look around the station to learn the exits. You will know if you want to get to a certain place you need to be at the front of the train. In the mean time you can get exit strategy, it costs something but gives you exact details.

[MHV9218]

Frankly, I don't think there's a very good solution. In the 1970s-1980s the MTA posted signs that were far more informative which read "South Side of xx Avenue" or "North Side of xx Street," but those only remain in a few stations. The NESW directions are only really helpful when you're familiar with the directions of the area, but aren't as helpful when there's no north-south grid (i.e outside of Manhattan). I've only come to know exits by experience.

 

The best thing I can recommend is to board the train in regard to where you're trying to get off: i.e., the back of a southbound 4/5/6 if you want to exit closer to 16th St at Union Square, or the front if you want to exit closer to the 14th St. Of course, that's often easier said than done. Some stations (West 4th Street comes to mind) are very simple when it comes to exits, and boarding the train based on the exit is important. 

[quiggle]

Thank you everyone for your responses and helpful suggestions.I always look for the physical location of subway entrances on Google Maps before I travel and the stores around the area so I'm familiar where I'm heading and I get overcome with grief when I head out the exit and realize this is not what I prepared for. But yes, errors do lead to experience and I hope to get better with this as I become more familiar with the city. Thank you again!

[peacemak3r]

I don't think the book/app 'Exit Strategy' is what he/she is looking for.

 

What you're doing is fairly right, surveying the location beforehand and noticing the cross-streets given on Google maps or whatever source you are looking at. Then upon getting off the stop, the signs leading to the exits would be more clear as you now know which streets or cross-streets you will need to be at.

[West End]

The problem with using Google Maps is that they mark the station at the geographic center of where the platform is.  For example, look up the Lexington Av/53 St Station on the .  Since the station is so deep, the center of the platform is actually located east of Third Avenue (between Second and Third).  This distorts the Google "directions" function so much that Google suggests using the Fifth Av/53rd St station for certain locations that are literally on Lexington Ave.  Every app that uses Google's location markers has the same problem, too.

 

The best app I would suggest is iTrans.  Their street and neighborhood maps show you where all the street-level exits are for every station in the system.  Their directions function will tell you exactly which street-level staircase to use to get you to your destination.  iTrans also syncs to Exit Strategy, if you happen to have it.  Everytime I need to use the subway to get somewhere new, I use iTrans directions.  It gives a much more accurate ETA that Google Maps ever will.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

There is no answer to this one aside from what others have said.  The previously gave more specific information, only to find that cars were unevenly loaded because everyone would cram into the car "closest to the exit they wanted to get off at", so to avoid that dilemma, the changed that.  It's not that big of a deal for most stops but for some it can make a difference.  I know it can save you time, but trial by error is the only way to learn or better yet, put in your address, pick the subway station and try to see if you can use Google maps to see where there are exits at closest to your stop. However, I think it really depends on which you value more... Your personal space or getting to your destination quicker.  I try to pick cars that tend to be the least crowded rather than worry so much about which exit I'm closest too because I get really hostile when people invade my private space.  Friday there was a Yankees' game and all of these a-holes got on at 59th street packing up the train so that when it was time for us to get off they just stood there purposely trying to block people from getting off saying no one is getting off.  That led to me shoving several of them to the side and almost shoving one guy off of the train and onto the platform (I really didn't care) because they were completely rude and immature and I needed to get off. Once they saw how big I was and the look on my face and how I was shoving those guys to the side, they quickly got the message that I was the wrong guy to f*ck with.  Me and another guy just shook our heads because he had to do the same thing just to get off.  

[peacemak3r]

I didn't mean to say to use Google maps as a solid reference of which exits to use. I meant to say, use Google maps to reference the location you are trying to get to then back track to the nearest station. From there, (assuming you know your 'North, South, West, East' directions,) you can easily know which exit to use when leaving the subway station.

[FamousNYLover]

Maybe try this.

https://nycopendata.socrata.com/Transportation/Subway-Entrances/drex-xx56

 

For example, If I go to Museum of Natural History from 42nd St, I'll get on last car on 168th St-bound or 145th St/Bronx-bound , so at 81st St, I could just exit 79th St exit directly into AMNH.

 

For example, If I go on M15 SBS uptown from Brooklyn-bound , I'll get on 1st car.

 

If I go on n4 bus at Jamaica Center, I'll get on last car on Jamaica-bound .

 

Same reason if I were going to catch NICE at Jamaica Bus Terminal, I get on last car on Jamaica-bound .

 

If I go to n31, n32, or n33, I'll get on 1st car on Far Rockaway-bound .