Moving Around New York City
October 23 - 25, 2023
Update on Aug 31, 2023 : The MTA has recently announced construction work that will impact the subway lines that take people to Roosevelt Island. The subway section below has been updated to reflect these changes. However, we highly encourage people to stay at our wonderful conference hotel which is located on Roosevelt Island as commuting from outside will be less convenient because of these changes.
Transportation Overview
Roosevelt Island is a narrow island located in between Manhattan and Queens on the East River. It is accessible through the New York City MTA (Metropolitan Transit Authority) by Subway, Bus, and Aerial Tram. The MTA website provides detailed information about Metro Card Fares and the overall accessibility of the system. Three notable points are:
- *Many* subway stations are not ADA accessible but all MTA buses should be
- The MTA has written text maps of subway stations for people who cannot access map visualizations
- The MTA accepts contactless forms of payment at the turnstiles in train stations or fair scanners on buses; (no explicit ticket purchase required)
There is a 3.8 mile paved trail that covers the circumference of the island, and the Red Bus offers FREE transportation throughout convenient stops in the island between 888 Main St. and Southpoint Park. There are twelve stops, and one of them directly stops at Cornell Tech at East Loop Road. The bus can be tracked via the NEXT Bus App. Get the app via Apple or Android stores.
Getting To The Island
There are several ways to get to Roosevelt Island. We recommend you to read carefully the different options and select the one that you are most comfortable with in terms of convenience, cost, and speed. The most common transportations methods are:
By Subway (MTA)
The Roosevelt Island subway station is undergoing construction upgrades and maintenance that will impact train service for ASSETS attendees. For the most up-to-date information, read this MTA web page about the F service changes while planning your trips.
DO NOT take the F train expecting you will get to Roosevelt Island. The F train is not running to Roosevelt Island until Spring 2024. If you want to reach Roosevelt Island taking the subway service, you will have to take the temporary shuttle train at the Lexington Avenue--63rd Street station from the Manhattan side, or the temporary shuttle train at the 21st Street--Queensbridge station from the Queens side.
The best way to get to the Lexington Avenue--63rd Street station is by taking the Q train from the Manhattan side. The best way to get to the 21st Street--Queensbridge station is by taking the 7 train from the Queens side. There are alternative ways to get to these stations, but we recommend these two options because they are the most direct and the easiest to navigate.
The MTA will operate a temporary service at these stations which will provide subway access to Roosevelt island
during this construction.
This temporary service runs every 20 minutes. This is less frequent than typical subway service, so add extra
commute time when you plan trips.
This temporary service does not run overnight; if you plan to travel to or from Roosevelt Island between the
hours of 11 PM and 5 AM, do not rely on the subway for transportation. There are bus and ferry options; you can find
more information about alternate transportation options on this page.
The F train that is known for stopping at Roosevelt Island is not cancelled, and this could create confusion. It will still operate, but on the tracks associated with a different subway, the E line. Specifically, it will operate on the E line after it stops at 47-50 Streets-Rockefeller Center (in Manhattan on its way to Queens) and after Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue (in Queens on its way to Manhattan. Do not get on an F train thinking that it will go to Roosevelt Island. It will not! It has been rerouted because of the construction and in effort to still provide service to riders on the F train who need access to other stops which are not under construction.
Traveling from Roosevelt Island to Queens
If you travel from Roosevelt Island to Queens using the shuttle train, note that once you get off at the 21st St. Queensbridge station, you will not be able to transfer to another train at that station. There will only be shuttle buses to take you to the nearby Queens Plaza subway station. If you are not sure were to find the shuttle buses, ask the MTA staff at the station.
By Bus (From Queens)
The Q102 Bus connects Astoria (in Queens) to Roosevelt Island via a bridge that crosses the water. All New York City Transit buses are fully wheelchair accessible by front-door ramp (local and Select Bus routes) or lift (for coach-style buses on express routes). This bus accepts Metro cards, but some bus stops require paying before getting on board.
By the Roosevelt Island Tram
This Aerial tram connects the East Side of Manhattan to Roosevelt Island via a cable car that crosses the river. The tram travels 250ft off the ground and the ride takes about 3 minutes to cross the river. We highly encourage everyone that has the availability to take the Tram at least once. It is a fun way of going into Manhattan from Roosevelt Island and also from Manhattan into Roosevelt Island. The Tram entrance is located at 2nd Avenue and 60th Street on the Manhattan side, and on the Tramway Plaza East on the Roosevelt Island side. The Tram is wheelchair accessible (via elevator) and it only accepts Metro Card (No cash, and no tap to pay).
To learn more about the history of the tram, wikipedia has a good article sharing some bits and pieces.
By the NYC Ferry
The NYC Ferry has a landing on Roosevelt Island that runs on the Astoria Line connecting Astoria, Long Island City, East 34th street and Pier 11/Wall street. The Ferry system does not accept Metro Cards, and uses its own ticketing system. It costs $4 for a one way ride. There are kiosks at the landing where you can purchase tickets.
By Car, Taxi or Rideshare Services
The estimated time to drive from the three airports to Roosevelt Island is:
However, traffic in New York City is unpredictable and can be very heavy at times. We recommend to take due precautions and plan accordingly.
There are many car and rideshare services that connect Roosevelt Island to major transportation hubs. The most common ones are Lyft, Uber, and Curb. If you are coming from the Newark Airport located at Jersey City, you will have to pay a toll to cross the bridge into Manhattan. The toll is $16.00 for cars and $12.50 for taxis.
Parking
If you bring your own vehicle, short-term parking time is limited depending on the location:
For day parking, the cost of parking on Main Street is 50 cents for every 15 minutes. The parking time limit on the loop roads around Cornell Tech is 6 hours. Please click here to check parking time limits at other points of interest.
For attendees staying at the Graduate hotel near Cornell Tech, the hotel offers Valet parking to guests for a nightly rate of $65 (Including tax) and $45 (Including tax) for day parking.
For attendees that would like to self-park over night without using the Graduate Hotel services, Roosevelt Island offers a long-term parking option with Motorgate parking at 688 Main Street. The daily rates for parking at Motorgate are as follows:
Getting Around the Island
Roosevelt Island has a wide variety of transportation vehicles available for tourists and for people that live in the Island. We invite you to walk around the island or take a rental bike with CitiBike if you enjoy riding bikes. All public spaces are wheelchair accessible and have incredible views of the Manhattan skyline and Queens. Finally, you can also take the Roosevelt Island Red Bus to travel around the island.
Taking the Roosevelt Island Red Bus
This bus is Operated by Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC). The Red Bus makes all local stops every 15 minutes from 5:30 AM - 2:30 AM every day, except Friday and Saturday, when service is extended to 3:30 AM. For more information about the regular schedule of the red bus please click here.
This bus travels from Southpoint Park, located at the south end of Roosevelt Island, to the octagon (888 Main Street), located at the north end of Roosevelt Island. The Bus stops at several key locations around the island:
This bus is entirely free of cost. You do not need to pay anything and you do not have to request anything from the MTA or from the bus driver. Just hop on and enjoy!
Pedestrian Paths
The island can be traversed on foot or on wheelchair. Many residents and people that work on Roosevelt Island commute by foot or by bike. Bare in mind that some of the portions of the road have gaps that might make it hard to cross without a power-wheel chair. All the walkways are paved, well-kept, and have curbside ramps for wheelchair users. Description of paths / streets on the island.
If you are interested in moving around the island on rental bike, there are three CitiBike locations. The first location is near Cornell Tech at the entrance of the South Point Park. The second location is near the firefighters baseball field, the tram station, and close to the Ferry Landing. The third location is on the North of the island at 592 Main Street.