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For tourists visiting New York City, using the City's public transportation system is an absolute must. While you can drive into the City, parking is expensive, traffic is horrendous, and many destinations are too far away to rely on walking. As an alternative to driving in the City, travelers visiting New York City should plan to make extensive use of the New York public transportation system.
Thankfully, getting around NYC via the city's public transportation system-which is made up of buses and the subway-is a fast, easy, and cheap. Moreover, New York public transportation is safe. Despite stories in the past of random acts of crime and violence, getting around NYC is generally safe provided you follow basic common sense travel safety tips (i.e. don't travel alone at night, don't flash expensive jewelry or electronics gear, ride in the first car near the driver, etc).
For a traveler planning to use New York public transportation, your first consideration is finding the nearest subway station or bus stop. There are a number of ways to do this, but my favorite is to use the MTA NYC Transit Trip Planner. The handy website allows you to type the address you are leaving from, the neighborhood (ex: Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, or Staten Island), your destination, and when you want to leave (time and date). After filling out the information, the website returns easy to follow directions for navigating the New York public transportation system. Moreover, you can also restrict the directions to certain types of transit-for example, you can choose to only travel on the subway if you like.
While the MTA NYC Transit Trip Planner is a great resource that will make navigating the NYC transit system easy, travelers might consider a few other options. First, if you have an Apple iPhone or an iPod Touch, visitors to New York would do well to get familiarize themselves with the iTrain NYC Subway Guide. It's a handy mobile website that makes navigating the New York City subway easy by offering subway maps, directions via the popular HopStop website, and alerts from the MTA about delays and route closings. In addition to the iTrain Guide, visitors might also want to point their web browsers towards the MTA transit maps to get an overall feel for the system or checking out one of several online maps that are run by individuals on the Google Maps platform (for example, NYC Subway and Transit Compass: NYC). With these resources, getting around NYC via bus or subway is a snap.
In addition to knowing how to get around the transit system, visitors should also know how the system works. The core of the system is the MetroCard which you swipe each time you get on the bus or subway. Fares are $2.25 per ride or $5.50 for express buses. You can buy cards at all station booths or on buses. In addition to the standard MetroCards, there are a number of other options for visitors that make using New York public transportation significantly cheaper. There are a number of multi-day MetroCards including the "1-Day Fun Pass" for $8.25 or the "7-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCard." If you are serious about seeing the sights in NYC, these cards offer substantial savings. However, these cards are generally not sold in subway stations, so you will want to use the MTA's "Where to Buy MetroCard" guide to figure out where to buy your multi-ride pass. It's generally a good idea to know where you are going to get your pass before coming into the City.
Beyond knowing how to navigate the system and what MetroCard to buy, it is also a good idea to read over tips for riding the transit system safely. The MTA has a collection of tips for riding safely. However, for the most part, using New York public transportation is safe. That said, you can increase your safety by planning your route in advance, avoiding travel late at night and very early in the morning, and avoiding traveling alone. In addition, you should make a point to ride either in the front car (which contains the train operator) or the middle car (which contains the conductor). In addition, you should avoid showing off valuables and should not keep your wallet in your back pocket (to avoid pickpockets). While you should consider your safety when using New York public transportation, it is important to remember that thousands of people use the system each day without incident and it is for the most part safe.
Overall, getting around NYC via bus and subway is a fast and cost effective way to see the City. Visitors will love the ease of using the system and the speed and will quickly grow familiar with using the system. Moreover, public transit easily beats dealing with the traffic gridlock and parking headaches that come with driving in New York City.

Paris Travel Guide

See the Best Paris Has to Offer with this Flexible Itinerary

Sure, a week or more in Paris is ideal to really get a sense of the city's fabulous sights and attractions, quirky neighborhoods, or gourmet spots.
But if you're only able to spend two days in Paris, or need an introduction to the city's best spots, this two-day guide will provide 48 full and exciting hours in the city of light. Who said a weekend in Paris was impossible?
The itinerary covers both the classic left bank of Paris and the more contemporary right bank, where students, artists, and immigrants forge a dynamic cosmopolitan center that has little to do with the Paris of postcards. You'll go away feeling like you've seen the city's highlights, and will be ready to explore in more depth.

Itinerary Overview

Keep in mind that this itinerary is designed to be flexible-- feel free to pick and choose, and let your inspiration carry you if you stumble on something that's not on the itinerary. In some cases, we've given you a choice between two options-- a bit like the "choose your own adventure" novels you might have read as a child.

Day One: Classic Paris

Breakfast: Le Mouffetard OR Le Pain Quotidien
Latin Quarter Stroll:
- Rue Mouffetard
- Pantheon
- Sorbonne University
- Jardin du Luxembourg OR National Medieval Museum
Lunch: Le Balzar

Afternoon:

Notre Dame Cathedral
Classic Museums: The Louvre OR Musee d'Orsay
Champs-Elysées and the Arc du Triomphe
The Eiffel Tower

Evening

Dinner: Eiffel Tower Restaurants OR Cafe de l'Alma
Bateaux Mouches Paris boat tour

Day Two: The Dynamic Right Bank

Morning:

Breakfast: Aux Delices de Saint-Paul
Walking Tour of the Marais
"Beaubourg" and the Centre Pompidou
Lunch: Chez Georges OR La Quincambosse

Afternoon:

Evening:

Dinner and show at the Moulin Rouge, OR dinner and cabaret at A la Bonne Franquette

London Travel Guide

For the first-time flyer, air travel can seem like a daunting task. Where do you buy a ticket? What happens when you get to the airport? Do you need identification? Although the options and questions seem endless, there is no need to worry: as long as you can read and ask questions, you can successfully fly. To make your first flight less stressful, it is helpful to have an idea of what to expect. Step 1 Purchase a ticket. The easiest way to search multiple dates and flight times is to search for your flight ticket online. To get a broad idea of fares, use an airfare search engine like Kayak or Expedia. Enter in your departure city, arrival city and dates, and the engine will return a range of flights that fit your criteria. Select one to see times, connections and time between flights. When you are ready to buy a flight, click on it to select and follow the purchasing instructions. Usually, airlines will send you an email confirmation and e-ticket number; write these numbers down for reference. Step 2 Gather photo identification. If you are traveling within your home country, you will need a photo identification card, such as a driver's license. If you are flying internationally, you will need a passport, usually one that is valid for six months from the date of departure. Step 3 Ensure that your luggage meets airline requirements. Most airlines allow passengers to bring one carry-on item and one personal item, such as a laptop or purse. Check the specifications for your airline by visiting its website and looking for a section about baggage--on the American Airlines website, for example, "Baggage Information" is under the "Travel Information" tab. Pay attention to fees for checked bags--most airlines charge for each bag you check to be carried in the cargo area--and the weight limits, and be sure to stay within them. Step 4 Pack your carry-on bag carefully. In a bag you take on the plane, you are able to put liquids in 100 mL (or less) containers as long as they fit in a single, quart-sized, sealable, clear plastic bag. According to the Transportation Security Administration, "Consolidating the bottles into one bag and X-raying them separately from the carry-on bag enables security officers to quickly clear the items." Agents will confiscate any liquids or gels that do not adhere to this policy. Step 5 Arrive at the airport early. For your first time traveling on an airplane, allow extra time to make it through the airport and familiarize yourself with the process. If you will be parking, check into the long-term lot for multiday stays; for this option, some airports have shuttles to the terminal if the lot is not within walking distance. To give yourself a buffer of time, aim to arrive at least two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight. Step 6 Check in at the airline desk. Follow the signs to the check-in desks, and have your photo identification ready to present to the agent. He will look up your reservation, print boarding passes and collect any baggage fees for checked bags. If you have not selected seats, you can also ask the agent for a window or aisle seat at this time. You will be asked to place your checked bags on the scale next to the desk for weighing, and they will be tagged and placed on a conveyor to be taken to the plane. Take your boarding passes and ID card from the agent. Step 7 Go through security. Follow the signs for security, and head to the line. At the security checkpoint, you will be asked to show your identification and boarding pass. Once you are at the screening machines, take off your shoes and jacket and place them into a plastic bin with your clear plastic bag. If you are traveling with a laptop, place it into a separate bin, and send it down the conveyor along with your carry-on bag. Wait for an agent to wave you through the metal detector, and walk through. Retrieve your items. Step 8 Find your gate. Your boarding pass should have a gate number on it; if not, check the electronic displays to find your flight and gate number. Follow the signs to get to your gate, and have a seat until a gate agent calls for boarding. Airlines generally board by row, so don't approach the gate until your group is called. Find your seat by checking the numbers above each row, and stow small bags under the seat in front of you and larger bags in the overhead bins. Step 9 Collect baggage. Once your flight lands, exit the airplane and follow signs for baggage claim. Your flight number and departure city will be on an electronic display; wait with the crowd until the conveyor starts moving and your bag arrives.

Tokyo Travel Guide

Tokyo (東京, Tōkyō) is Japan's capital and the world's most populous metropolis. It is also one of Japan's 47 prefectures, consisting of 23 central city wards and multiple cities, towns and villages west of the city center. The Izu and Ogasawara Islands are also part of Tokyo.
Prior to 1868, Tokyo was known as Edo. A small castle town in the 16th century, Edo became Japan's political center in 1603 when Tokugawa Ieyasu established his feudal government there. A few decades later, Edo had grown into one of the world's most populous cities. With the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the emperor and capital moved from Kyoto to Edo, which was renamed Tokyo ("Eastern Capital"). Large parts of Tokyo were destroyed in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and in the air raids of 1945. Today, Tokyo offers a seemingly unlimited choice of shopping, entertainment, culture and dining to its visitors. The city's history can be appreciated in districts such as Asakusa, and in many excellent museums, historic temples and gardens. Contrary to common perception, Tokyo also offers a number of attractive green spaces in the city center and within relatively short train rides at its outskirts.