DD will be arriving at NY Penn Station tomorrow and taking a cab to an appointment on the UES for her summer internship onboarding process.
Which exit out of Penn Station would have the quickest/best positioned taxi queue to get her on her way?
I usually take the subway to Penn Station to catch Amtrak, so I don’t look for cabs, but I found a website:
http://jasongibbs.com/pennstation/
that says taxi stands are located at 7th Ave and 32nd Street, and 8th Ave and 33rd Street
I found another website that says to use the 8th Ave/33rd exit if you want to go uptown (street numbers higher than 33) and use 7th Ave if you want to go downtown (street numbers lower than 32)
Where is she going on the UES? She might be able to get on the subway and get to her destination.
While correct, since she also has to go crosstown to UES, the fare difference between the 2 is probably negligible. However, I agree that the subway would probably be easier and quicker, depending on the final destination.
I pick up a cab at 8th to get to the UES and go crosstown at a park transverse. Much quicker.
The subway isn’t faster from Penn Station IME, since you’d have to transfer twice, but it’s cheaper for sure.
For someone not familiar with NYC I think taking a cab there makes sense – especially since the subway may require two changes. I’d also put the Uber app on her phone and she can use that if she doesn’t see a yellow cab.
Again, depends on the final destination. The Q is one ride to UES, although you do have to exit Penn Station to go to Herald Square to get it. But I’m just one of those people who opts for mass transit over taxis.
No Uber or LYFT in NYC?
Q train would be faster if she wants to take a subway and it is a nice line.
sometimes you have to wait awhile in the taxi stand line, so factor that in to the timing
If she wants to take a cab the app Curb is very helpful.
I have grabbed a cab at Penn Station - there is always a line of cabs waiting and they know all the tricks (which streets to take crosstown, uptown, and downtown). Shouldn’t be a problem - this is actually a good map of the station https://www.njtransit.com/pdf/rail/NYPENN_Directory.pdf
If she’s going uptown to UES, use the 8th Ave. exit since it’s a northboude avenue. If she goes to 7th, the cab will have to turn on side street to turn around heading north. But the subway will be the easiest way if she has familiarity with it.
Besides Uber and Lyft, in NYC there’s also GETT. My boss uses it when he’s in our NYC office because there are no surge rates. Their app is also in the app store.
@GnocchiB - please report back, if you are able, to let us know how it went!
Thank you to everyone! She ended up catching a cab quite easily, to and from New-York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell. She has minimal subway experience (which will change this summer) and hasn’t needed Uber on her phone yet (but will get it).
She got a cab back down to Penn Station without any trouble and then stood there under the board for close to 2 hours waiting for the trains to begin running after the poor passengers stuck under the Hudson River finally got rescued. She made it onto the first southbound train that was allowed to leave and thankfully missed the mini-riot in the terminal that ensued after someone was tasered.
This summer she’ll be living in a Columbia dorm and it’s a straight shot up to NY-P/Columbia which I think (hope!) will be a good introductory commute. As long as she’s staying off of NJ Transit hopefully things will run smoothly …
I appreciate everyone’s assistance. Takes a village to launch an intern…
New-York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell is not on the Upper East Side :-*
Well…E 68th St is more upper east than Penn Station…
Lol, it looks like the UES from where I live (south of the Mason-Dixon line)!
ETA - Where does the UES start exactly? I had always assumed the 70s. My college roommate grew up on E. 69th between 3rd and Lex and I always thought it was the Upper East Side.
Officially starts from east 59th street up to around 96th street.
So why wouldn’t NY-P/WC be considered to be on the UES?
@Tanbiko
@GnocchiB, is your D going to stay at a Columbia dorm in the upper W side or NY-P/WC have dorms for her closeby?
Commuting from upper W side (where Columbia University is) to UES takes a long time. It’s not a straight shot as you said.