Getting there

From anywhere south of 59th Street in Manhattan or downtown Brooklyn, the best transportation to the Tour lineup is your bike. Broadway and the Hudson River Greenway both go directly to Battery Park.Cycling Tips From the DOT:
Act like a car. Drivers are used to the patterns of other drivers. Don’t weave in and out of traffic. The more predictably you ride, the safer you are. Look, signal, and look again. Use hand signals to let drivers and other cyclists know where you’re going. Look and make eye contact. Don’t ride distracted. Don’t listen to music or talk on the phone while riding. It is illegal to ride with both headphones on in NEw York City.Use your bell . . . and your voice! Your bell alerts drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists to your presence. It is required by law. A quick “On your left!” works wonders and wins smiles when you’re passing other cyclists.For more tips, check out DOT’s BikeSmart guide at nyc.gov/bikes.  You can also visit ridethecity.com and set your destination as “intersection of Greenwich Street and Battery Place” for detailed directions

If you are traveling by subway, exit at the South Ferry 1, Chambers Street, City Hall, or Brooklyn Bridge stations and bike to Battery Park to join the start lineup. Regular fare applies. Avoid other nearby stations–there is insufficient space for bicycles to enter and exit en masse. Whitehall Street and Bowling Green stations are off-limits to bicycles for safety reasons, and other stations south of Chambers Street may be as well. (See map at right.)To enter the station, let the station booth operator know you need to use the service entrance. Swipe your MetroCard at the turnstile. Rotate the turnstile without going through and then enter through the service entrance door after the buzz. Avoid escalators and crowded cars. Once on the subway, stand at either end of the car and hold on to your bike. Follow instructions from Transit Authority personnel or Tour marshals and be especially considerate and courteous to noncycling passengers.To return home by subway after disembarking the Staten Island Ferry at the end of the day, take the 1 train from South Ferry or cycle north or east to the Chambers Street or City Hall stations. The Whitehall Street and Bowling Green stations will still be off-limits.Visit mta.info for the subway map or call the MTA for more information: 718 330 1234.

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 $1.75 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. Please do not use the first car on the train; follow the conductor’s directions. You may need to use a combination of stairs and escalators to get to the street level.For schedule information, system map, station locations, and parking information, visit panynj.gov or call 800 234 PATH.

To Staten Island Ferry from New Jersey and South: Take the New Jersey Turnpike to exit 13, I-278 (Goethals Bridge). Cross the Goethals Bridge (a toll bridge). Stay left on the Staten Island Expressway (I-278) to Clove Road/Hylan Boulevard/Richmond Road exit; make the first left onto Clove Road; go to the end (Richmond Terrace). Turn right onto Richmond Terrace and proceed to the Staten Island Ferry (2+ miles on your left). Turn left down the ramp just before the Ferry (just after the stadium) for off-street parking. Paid parking lots are located on the north side of the ferry terminal off Richmond Terrace, near the Richmond County Bank Ballpark at St. George (SI Yankee Stadium). Look for “Bike Tour Parking” signs. There is one municipal lot and additional private lots. Bring at least $7 in quarters for the day’s parking in all lots, and use the Muni-Meters as appropriate. Please note: No-parking rules for the north and south sides of Richmond Terrace and Bay Street are strictly enforced. Participants driving in from the south are encouraged to park in Staten Island and take the ferry to the start. Please park only in designated areas, such as at the South Beach lot, near Staten Island Railway stations, or in ferry lots. Cars parked along the Tour route will be towed.

Staten Island ferry – every half hour plus an extra ferry at 7:15 am and 8:15 am

Participants parking in South Beach, Staten Island, can use the bike path that runs from South Beach to Fort Wadsworth, site of the Tour Festival. You’ll ride your bike a few miles to the ferry in the morning. Later in the afternoon, after enjoying the Festival, you can exit Fort Wadsworth via the bike path, bypassing the crowds exiting Fort Wadsworth and at the Staten Island Ferry. Here’s how it works: 1- Park at South Beach in the designated Bike Tour parking area, Park and Ride lot. 2-Ride along the bike path that begins at the eastern end of the boardwalk. It runs north from South beach to Fort Wadsworth. 3-At the T intersection inside Fort Wadsworth, turn right onto North Carolina Road. 4-At the next T intersection, turn left onto Hudson Avenue. 5-Take the first right onto New York Avenue. (The Carriage House is on your right.) 6-Go straight on New York Avenue and exit Fort Wadsworth. You are now heading north on Bay Street. 7-Continue north on Bay Street 3 miles to the Staten Island Ferry at St. George. 9-Enjoy the morning ferry ride to the start of the Tour!

Take either the Goethals Bridge or Outerbridge Crossing to the Staten Island Expressway. Exit from the Staten Island Expressway at the last exit before toll plaza for Lily Pond Avenue. Turn right onto Lily Pond Avenue, which becomes Father Capodanno Boulevard. South Beach is on the left. Park in the Park and Ride parking lot south of the Vanderbilt catering hall.

Take the lower level of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and exit at Hylan Blvd. Turn left at the traffic light onto Fingerboard Road. Turn left onto the Staten Island Expressway service road and stay to the right. At the traffic light, make a right onto Lily Pond Avenue, which becomes Father Capodanno Boulevard. South Beach is on the left. Park in the Park and Ride parking lot south of the Vanderbilt catering hall.

This option is great for residents of Staten Island and anyone coming by car from the south. 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 to the start line in Manhattan. 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; you may purchase a MetroCard in these stations, although riders are encouraged to purchase a MetroCard ahead of time to avoid long lines and delays. Visit mta.info for travel information, call 718 330-1234, or check your local station for train departure times.

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 $1.75 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. Please do not use the first car on the train; follow the conductor’s directions. You may need to use a combination of stairs and escalators to get to the street level.For schedule information, system map, station locations, and parking information, visit panynj.gov or call 800 234 PATH.

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 bikedirections 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 further information visit the MTA website or call Metro-North at 212 532 4900.

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 (see subway and bike info, above). Off-peak fares apply and, on May 6, 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 information regarding LIRR bicycle permits for year-round use, call 511 or pick up an application at Penn Station. The application form is also available at mta.info/bike. The one-time fee is $5.For LIRR schedule and fare information, visit the LIRR website at mta.info or call 511.

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. If you want to drive to Lower Manhattan, you will probably need to park in a garage.  You can also visit primospot.com to search for parking locations.