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To walk up and down the Big Apple, the New York subway is the fastest and most economical way. But is it safe?
Stay alert but without paranoia!
- Obviously zero risk does not exist, in New York as in all the big cities in the world, and I cannot tell you that you will be able to take the subway with your most beautiful jewels around your neck, your iPhone placed on the seat and without ever looking around you.
- My advice: do not try to pickpockets and keep an eye on your belongings, your camera, your smartphone. Finally, take the subway in New York just as you take public transport at home. And you will see that the New York subway is very quiet, at all hours of the day and night.
Is the New York subway safe at night?
- The New York subway operates 24 hours a day and you won’t have any more problems at night! Moreover, you will quickly find that you are not the only one taking the metro.
- Moreover, as a tourist, you will necessarily take the main lines of the New York network and you will stay in the most peaceful areas of New York. Unless you go for the adventure at 3am at the terminus of the L line in Queens, you will stay in places that are always well signposted and with people.
- A word of advice, however, if you are a single woman and you are not too reassured despite everything: get in the lead car, where the driver is. But, frankly, cases of assaults on the subway in Manhattan remain rare. You can really take the metro quietly, day or night!
Security has been greatly enhanced
- Moreover, you should know that, in recent years, the New York City Hall has seriously improved the security of the subway compared to what it was in the 80s and 90s. There are now nearly 5,000 cameras. video surveillance in the metro and, above all, you will regularly come across police officers at the entrance to stations. In Times Square or Union Square, there is even a mini-police station in the station!
- Do not hesitate to approach New Yorkers in the event of a problem: there is real solidarity between users. New Yorkers are always ready to help.
Comparison between New York and Paris
- Finally, to finish reassuring you completely, here are some figures to give you an element of comparison between the New York metro and the Paris metro. In Paris, there were 56,887 thefts and assaults in the metro in 2016, according to the statistical report of delinquency established by the Ministry of the Interior, or more than 150 incidents per day.
- In New York, the New York police recorded less than 4,300 incidents (thefts, physical assaults, murders or rapes) in the subway in 2015, or nearly 12 incidents per day. The comparison with Paris is certainly not obvious because each country has its classifications for assaults, but it still gives an idea. Above all, the trend is clearly downward in New York: the total number of assaults in 1990 amounted to nearly 17,500, 4 times more than today! The security policy of the New York City Hall has borne fruit.
- Once again: take the subway while staying alert and you will have absolutely no problems in New York. ????
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