New York trains and buses are great and inexpensive ways to get around the Big Apple. You can also hop on a conducted tour on a hired limousine if you can afford one. The New York subways and streets make the transportation facility one of the best in the world. But remember, New York is just not another city. Its great history and heritage combined with its vibrant urbanity set it apart from all other cities in the US and the world: and the New York taxi is inseparably attached to its heritage. No New York tour is complete without a tour in a taxi.

Popular culture, Hollywood movies, and numerous fictions and urban legends have immortalized the association: you cannot possibly imagine New York City streets without the ubiquitous taxis. Apart from the myth and mystique, the taxi is also one of the best ways to get around the city on a limited budget and comparative comfort. Taking a taxi allows you to visit the major New York tourist attractions as well as get a general feel of the tremendous urban and multi-ethnic culture that the city is particularly noted for.

More than 12,000 licensed yellow medallion taxis ply in New York. However, be careful to hide you naiveté if you are new to the city. The taxi drivers may take a longer route and leave you poorer by many more dollars than you expected if they get inkling that you are new to the city and are not sure of your way about. Make sure to gather rudimentary route information from the locals or the hotel staff before you get into a taxi. Also remember, that there are additional night charges and tip the cab drivers about 15% to 20% of the total charge after the trip is complete. That’s the usual practice and they expect it.