Getting to the Start
For additional information about the neighborhood where the Tour starts, see: www.downtowninfocenter.org for coffee shops, restaurants, sights to see and places to visit as you return from Staten Island in the afternoon, and www.lowermanhattan.info for a good map of the area.
Bike • Subway and PATH • Ferry • Car • Rail
Bike
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.
Subway
If you are traveling by subway, exit at the Chambers Street, City Hall, or Brooklyn Bridge stations on the A, C, E, J, R, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 trains and bike to Battery Park to join the start lineup. Regular fare applies. Avoid stations south of Chambers Street--there is insufficient space for bicycles to enter and exit en masse. South Ferry, 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.
To enter the station, let the token booth operator know you need to use the service entrance. Swipe your Metro Card 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 onto your bike.
Follow instructions from Transit Authority personnel or Tour marshals and be especially considerate and courteous to non-cycling passengers. This is your opportunity to establish positive public relations for cycling!
To return home by subway after disembarking the Staten Island Ferry, cycle north or east to the Chambers Street or City Hall stations. Remember, the South Ferry, Whitehall Street and Bowling Green stations are off-limits.
Click here for the subway map or call the MTA for more information: 718 330 1234.
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PATH Trains from New Jersey
You and your bicycle can board PATH trains leaving frequently from Newark, Journal Square (JSQ) and Hoboken for the World Trade Center (WTC). Fare is $1.75. 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. There are no weekend restrictions for bicycles on the PATH, and you do not need a permit. Please do not use the first car on the train; follow the conductor's directions. You will need to use a combination of stairs and escalators to get to the street level. Follow marshals' directions to the Tour lineup.
For schedule information, system map, station locations and parking information, click here or call 800 234 PATH.
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Ferry
Staten Island Ferry
Expanded morning service is provided for the Commerce Bank Five Boro Bike Tour. Boats leave Staten Island at 5:00, 6:00, 6:30, and 7:00 a.m. to get you to the Tour start on time; the ride to Manhattan is 30 minutes. Thousands of riders use the ferry to the Tour start. Take the earliest ferry you can.
See Car Directions for Staten Island parking options and Rail Directions for the Staten Island Railway to the ferry.
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Car to Staten Island or Manhattan
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.
South Beach Park-and-Ride, Staten Island
Participants parking in South Beach, Staten Island, will be able to 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 will be permitted to exit Fort Wadsworth via the bike path, bypassing the crowds exiting Fort Wadsworth and at the Staten Island Ferry.
Here's how it works:
Take either the Goethals Bridge or Outerbridge Crossing to the Staten Island Expressway. Exit 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.
To South Beach from Brooklyn and East
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.
Staten Island Ferry Parking
Another option is to drive to the ferry. 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 $6 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.
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 Staten Island Expressway (I-278) to Clove Road/Hylan Boulevard/Richmond Road exit; make 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. See Staten Island Ferry Parking for more information.
Manhattan Parking
If you drive into Manhattan, we suggest that you 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 line 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. Click here (PDF) for a listing of garages open 24/7.
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Rail
Metro-North Railroad
All regularly scheduled 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 or take the 4, 5, or 6 subway to the Brooklyn Bridge or City Hall station.
A Metro-North Railroad Bike Express Train out of New Haven will be added to the regular schedule on May 4, 2008. The Special Bike Tour Express will leave at 4:28 a.m. from New Haven and make stops at Milford, Bridgeport, Fairfield, and Westport, arriving at 6:12 a.m. at Grand Central Terminal.
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 home leave hourly. See schedule for exact time each hour.
For further information visit the MTA website or call Metro North at 800-METRO-INFO (within New York City, 212 532 4900).
Long Island Rail Road
The New York City stop for the MTA Long Island Rail Road is Penn Station at 34th Street and Seventh Avenue. From there, it is an easy ride down to Broadway to Battery Park. [Bike Directions >] Off-peak fares apply and on May 4 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 the bike to the train.
For information regarding LIRR bicycle permits for year-round use, call 718 558 8228 or pick up an application at Penn Station. The application form is also available online. The permit is issued with an expiration date and the one-time fee is $5.
For LIRR schedule and fare information, visit the LIRR website or call the LIRR's 24-hour Travel Information Center at 718 217 LIRR (5477), 516 822 LIRR (5477), or 631 231 LIRR (5477).
New Jersey Transit
No permits are required to take your bicycle on New Jersey Transit. Direct service to Penn Station is available on the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast, and Midtown Direct lines. Connecting service is available in Newark, Secaucus Junction, and Hoboken. Up to two bikes can be stored in each "accessible" rail car. Wheelchair customers have priority. NJT Schedule and Fares >
MTA Staten Island Rail to the Staten Island Ferry
To make it easier to get to the Staten Island Ferry, take Staten Island Railway on Tour day morning. Park on local streets or in a Staten Island Railway Park & Ride at Dongan Hills, Great Kills, Annandale, or Huguenot Stations. Then hop on a train to the ferry to the start line in Manhattan. Staten Island Railway weekend service connects with each extra ferry at the St. George Ferry Terminal. Bicycles are allowed on the trains, and you can board at any Staten Island Railway station. This service is great for residents of Staten Island and anyone coming by car from the south. Click here for travel information, call 718 330 1234, or check your local station for train departure times.
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For additional information about the neighborhood where the Tour starts, see: www.downtowninfocenter.org for coffee shops, restaurants, sights to see and places to visit as you return from Staten Island in the afternoon, and www.lowermanhattan.info for a good map of the area.
Bike • Subway and PATH • Ferry • Car • Rail
Bike
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.
Subway
If you are traveling by subway, exit at the Chambers Street, City Hall, or Brooklyn Bridge stations on the A, C, E, J, R, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 trains and bike to Battery Park to join the start lineup. Regular fare applies. Avoid stations south of Chambers Street--there is insufficient space for bicycles to enter and exit en masse. South Ferry, 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.
To enter the station, let the token booth operator know you need to use the service entrance. Swipe your Metro Card 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 onto your bike.
Follow instructions from Transit Authority personnel or Tour marshals and be especially considerate and courteous to non-cycling passengers. This is your opportunity to establish positive public relations for cycling!
To return home by subway after disembarking the Staten Island Ferry, cycle north or east to the Chambers Street or City Hall stations. Remember, the South Ferry, Whitehall Street and Bowling Green stations are off-limits.
Click here for the subway map or call the MTA for more information: 718 330 1234.
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PATH Trains from New Jersey
You and your bicycle can board PATH trains leaving frequently from Newark, Journal Square (JSQ) and Hoboken for the World Trade Center (WTC). Fare is $1.75. 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. There are no weekend restrictions for bicycles on the PATH, and you do not need a permit. Please do not use the first car on the train; follow the conductor's directions. You will need to use a combination of stairs and escalators to get to the street level. Follow marshals' directions to the Tour lineup.
For schedule information, system map, station locations and parking information, click here or call 800 234 PATH.
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Ferry
Staten Island Ferry
Expanded morning service is provided for the Commerce Bank Five Boro Bike Tour. Boats leave Staten Island at 5:00, 6:00, 6:30, and 7:00 a.m. to get you to the Tour start on time; the ride to Manhattan is 30 minutes. Thousands of riders use the ferry to the Tour start. Take the earliest ferry you can.
See Car Directions for Staten Island parking options and Rail Directions for the Staten Island Railway to the ferry.
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Car to Staten Island or Manhattan
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.
South Beach Park-and-Ride, Staten Island
Participants parking in South Beach, Staten Island, will be able to 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 will be permitted to exit Fort Wadsworth via the bike path, bypassing the crowds exiting Fort Wadsworth and at the Staten Island Ferry.
Here's how it works:
- Park at South Beach in the designated Bike Tour parking area, Park and Ride lot.
- Ride along the bike path that begins at the eastern end of the boardwalk. It runs north from South beach to Fort Wadsworth.
- At the T intersection inside Fort Wadsworth, turn right onto North Carolina Road.
- At the next T intersection, turn left onto Hudson Avenue.
- Take the first right onto New York Avenue. (The Carriage House is on your right.)
- Go straight on New York Avenue and exit Fort Wadsworth. You are now heading north on Bay Street.
- Continue north on Bay Street 3 miles to the Staten Island Ferry at St. George.
- 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 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.
To South Beach from Brooklyn and East
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.
Staten Island Ferry Parking
Another option is to drive to the ferry. 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 $6 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.
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 Staten Island Expressway (I-278) to Clove Road/Hylan Boulevard/Richmond Road exit; make 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. See Staten Island Ferry Parking for more information.
Manhattan Parking
If you drive into Manhattan, we suggest that you 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 line 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. Click here (PDF) for a listing of garages open 24/7.
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Rail
Metro-North Railroad
All regularly scheduled 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 or take the 4, 5, or 6 subway to the Brooklyn Bridge or City Hall station.
A Metro-North Railroad Bike Express Train out of New Haven will be added to the regular schedule on May 4, 2008. The Special Bike Tour Express will leave at 4:28 a.m. from New Haven and make stops at Milford, Bridgeport, Fairfield, and Westport, arriving at 6:12 a.m. at Grand Central Terminal.
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 home leave hourly. See schedule for exact time each hour.
For further information visit the MTA website or call Metro North at 800-METRO-INFO (within New York City, 212 532 4900).
Long Island Rail Road
The New York City stop for the MTA Long Island Rail Road is Penn Station at 34th Street and Seventh Avenue. From there, it is an easy ride down to Broadway to Battery Park. [Bike Directions >] Off-peak fares apply and on May 4 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 the bike to the train.
For information regarding LIRR bicycle permits for year-round use, call 718 558 8228 or pick up an application at Penn Station. The application form is also available online. The permit is issued with an expiration date and the one-time fee is $5.
For LIRR schedule and fare information, visit the LIRR website or call the LIRR's 24-hour Travel Information Center at 718 217 LIRR (5477), 516 822 LIRR (5477), or 631 231 LIRR (5477).
New Jersey Transit
No permits are required to take your bicycle on New Jersey Transit. Direct service to Penn Station is available on the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast, and Midtown Direct lines. Connecting service is available in Newark, Secaucus Junction, and Hoboken. Up to two bikes can be stored in each "accessible" rail car. Wheelchair customers have priority. NJT Schedule and Fares >
MTA Staten Island Rail to the Staten Island Ferry
To make it easier to get to the Staten Island Ferry, take Staten Island Railway on Tour day morning. Park on local streets or in a Staten Island Railway Park & Ride at Dongan Hills, Great Kills, Annandale, or Huguenot Stations. Then hop on a train to the ferry to the start line in Manhattan. Staten Island Railway weekend service connects with each extra ferry at the St. George Ferry Terminal. Bicycles are allowed on the trains, and you can board at any Staten Island Railway station. This service is great for residents of Staten Island and anyone coming by car from the south. Click here for travel information, call 718 330 1234, or check your local station for train departure times.
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