Getting there

From anywhere in Manhattan or downtown Brooklyn, the best transportation to the Start Area is your bike. Broadway and the Hudson River Greenway both go directly to Bowling Green and the start area. When you pick up your rider packet at the expo, you will be given instructions on which of the three starts you are in and where you should go to get to your start corral area. See “Start Times and Schedule” for more detailed information on page 18. Note that the bike route will begin to close to vehicular traffic at 7:30am, be sure to take this into account when planning your arrival. It is not recommended to drive to the start area for Starts 2 or 3.

The best way to get to the Bowling Green area: From Manhattan, Bronx, Queens: take the 1,2,3 to Chambers Street; 4, 5 or 6 to Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall; R to City Hall; A, C to Chambers Street (Church St); J to Chambers Street (Brooklyn Bridge). From Brooklyn: take the 2,3 to Chambers Street; 4,5 to Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall or Bowling Green (Broadway exit only); N, Q, R to City Hall; A, C to Chambers Street (Church St). Do not take your bicycle to: R N Whitehall Street, Rector Street, Cortlandt Street; 2, 3 Park Place, Fulton Street/Nassau Street, Wall Street; 4,5 Fulton Street, Wall Street, Bowling Green. Brooklyn bound entrances/exits: 1 Rector St; 1 South Ferry. The best way to leave the Battery Park area: To Manhattan, Bronx, Queens: 1,2,3 at Chambers Street; 4,5,6 at Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall or Bowling Green (Uptown, Broadway entrance only); A, C, J at Chambers Street; N, Q, R at City Hall. To Brooklyn: A, C at Chambers Street (Church St); 2, 3 at Chambers Street; 4,5 at Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall; N, Q, R at City Hall. Visit www.mta.info for customized travel directions using TripPlanner or call the MTA for more information: 511. Do not take your bicycle to: R N Whitehall Street, Rector Street, Cortlandt Street; 2, 3 Park Place, Fulton Street/Nassau Street, Wall Street; 4,5 Fulton Street, Wall Street, Bowling Green. Brooklyn bound entrances/exits: 1 Rector St; 1 South Ferry.

You and your bicycle can board PATH trains leaving frequently from Newark, Journal Square (JSQ), or Hoboken for the World Trade Center (WTC). The fare is $2.25 payable by MetroCard. To travel to the WTC from Hoboken in the early morning, take the JSQ-bound train two stops to Grove Street and change to the WTC-bound train across the platform. Do not use the first car on the train; follow the conductor’s directions. You may need to use stairs and escalators to get to street level. For schedule information, system map, station locations, and parking information, visit www.panynj.gov or call 800 234 PATH.

Limited parking is available in the parking lots surrounding the Staten Island Ferry in Staten Island. To see specific information about the lots, click here.  Plan to arrive early to get a spot.

This year South Beach Park and Ride will be closed due to damage from Hurricane Sandy. Riders who wish to park in Staten Island in the morning can park in designated lots near the ferry. See “Staten Island Ferry Parking” for more information. Please note cars parked along the tour route will be towed.

Park on local streets or in a Staten Island Railway Park & Ride at Dongan Hills, Great Kills, Annadale, Prince’s Bay, or Huguenot Stations, then hop on a train to the ferry. Bicycles will be allowed on the trains, and you can board at any Staten Island Railway station. MetroCard fares are collected entering and exiting at the St. George and Tompkinsville stations. Visit www.mta.info or dial 511 for travel information.

All trains on Metro-North Railroad’s Harlem, Hudson, and New Haven Lines allow bicycles on Tour day. Bike-permit rules and restrictions on the number of bikes per train are suspended all day. Check schedules for local service on all lines. To get to the start from Grand Central Terminal, see the bike directions above or take the 4, 5, or 6 subway to the Brooklyn Bridge or City Hall station. Off-peak fares are in effect on Sunday. Purchase tickets before boarding trains and save. Free parking is available at many local stations. Please read station parking signs carefully. Trains for the return trip leave hourly. See schedule for exact time each hour. For more information on departure times and locations, visit http://www.mta.info/mnr/

The New York City stop for the MTA Long Island Rail Road is Penn Station, at 34th Street and Seventh Avenue. At Penn Station, cyclists can transfer to downtown subway service or cycle downtown to Battery Park. Off-peak fares apply and, on May 5th, bike-permit restrictions are suspended. Cyclists should board and remain in the rear two cars of the train. In addition, cyclists are asked to have a suitable elastic cord to secure their bikes to the train. For more information on departure times and locations, visit http://www.mta.info/lirr/

No permits are required to take your bicycle on New Jersey Transit trains, including the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail. Direct service to Penn Station is available on the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast, and Midtown Direct lines. Connecting service is available in Newark and Secaucus Junction. Up to two bikes can be stored in each “accessible” rail car. Wheelchair customers have priority. At Penn Station, cyclists can transfer to downtown subway service or cycle downtown to Battery Park (see subway and bike info, above).

Participants driving in from the south are encouraged to park in Staten Island and take the ferry to the start. There are several parking options on Staten Island. If you drive into Manhattan, seek out street parking north of Canal Street and then find the best route to the start from there. Limited parking restrictions are usually in effect on Sunday. Read the signs carefully. Whether you bike or take the subway to the start lineup at Battery Park, allow yourself plenty of time to get there. You can also visit primospot.com to search for parking locations.