Info needed on travelling to New York

Stephen P

I'm heading over to New York next week, it'll be my first trip to the states. I just want to ask a couple of questions I'm unsure about:
If you bring over your own electrical appliances do they work over there i.e hair dryers etc...??
I want to buy an iPod over there, it will work over here wouldn't it?
What's the best way to get into New York City from JFK Airport? I heard taxi's rip ye off.
If you buy loads of clothes over there do you have to declare them on the way back or just put them in the suitcase & say nothing? Same goes with electrical goods, do you have to declare them too?

Think that's all the questions for the moment, if I have any more I'll post them up.

Thanks in advance!!

SP

BEAT

no your appliances will not work here. you will need to buy a converter or call the hotel ahead to see if they provide a hairdryer etc in your room (usually do)
The ipod may work in ireland but how will you charge it? our plugs are differnet here.

Best to buy one in Ireland.

You dont have to declare anything you buy except fruits and vegetables. You can take a whole suitcase ampty and fill it up and not have to say you bought anything.


Taxi's are expensive, so unless you can have someone pick you up you'll have to dish out some funds for the taxi.
Get some info on using the subways before you go too, cheaper if you know how to use them.
have fun!

Bri

BEAT wrote:

no your appliances will not work here. you will need to buy a converter or call the hotel ahead to see if they provide a hairdryer etc in your room (usually do)
The ipod may work in ireland but how will you charge it? our plugs are differnet here.

Best to buy one in Ireland.

I disagree. I've an iPod from Vancouver and it works fine here. Apple sell a somewhat overpriced travelling kit that has all the adaptors for the world. I bought it because it meant I wouldn't have to use some cheap converter and could bring it everywhere...I still saved money compared to the Irish price of the iPod alone. Warranty works over here for me too but you should check before you buy it just incase. Prices shouldn't vary in NY because Apple keep a pretty tight reign on prices. You could even bargain if your buying a couple of things from the shop. I did!


Enjoy!

penexpers

Yeah, I think iPods can swtich between voltages themselves.

conor-mr2

Hi Stephen.

Yes Taxis are a rip off. dont go near them. In the last year or two an airtrain has opened at JFK.
http://airtrainjfk.com/airtrain/

Its very easy to use and it will get you to an MTA station--either Jamaica station or Howard Beach.(Metro train stations basically).

Check out http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/nyct/maps/submap.htm.

Look at the right hand side of map. you will see JFK and the airtrain line in yellow. Its a good map and worth printing out.

from Jamaica you can hop on the blue E line.
from Howard Beach you can hop on the blue A line TO Manhattan (not to Rockaway Park).

HTH

por

Bri wrote:

I disagree. I've an iPod from Vancouver and it works fine here. Apple sell a somewhat overpriced travelling kit that has all the adaptors for the world. I bought it because it meant I wouldn't have to use some cheap converter and could bring it everywhere...I still saved money compared to the Irish price of the iPod alone. Warranty works over here for me too but you should check before you buy it just incase. Prices shouldn't vary in NY because Apple keep a pretty tight reign on prices. You could even bargain if your buying a couple of things from the shop. I did!


Enjoy!

Defenetly get the iPod over there and as much other electronics as you can, they are so much cheaper. You can buy a voltage converter for about $15, it's about the size of a cig. box. good for smal etectronics etc, you can buy bigger ones for larger appilances. There are heaps of 'electronic' shops on 5th ave, close to the NY Public Lib., they would all sell converts but do not buy other electronics from them.....they are a rip of, go to the bigger stores, Best Buy, Circuit City etc for the good stuff, see their wesites for locations, and if you can go to outlets in NJ, sales tax (VAT) is less.

Darren

I've been to NYC about 10 times. I know the area reasonably well as I lived there for a while.

Taxis from JKF to Manhattan are great value. There is a fixed fare or $35 + tolls from JFK to anywhere on Manhattan Island. Normally when I go there I get a cab to Grand Central and then get the Hudson line Metronorth up towards Peekskill. From what I remember, the first time I went there I used the Carey bus to Grand Central.

I've bought lots of electrical equipment over there and only ever got caught out by the odd only FM radios. There is a good Sony outlet centre at Woodbury common.

I have a travel converter which I use abroad to charge my mobile.

(Just checked the PANYNJ website and the flat taxi fare is now $45)

daveirl

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Stephen P

Thanks very much for all the replies so far! It's much appreciated lads!!!

SP

daveirl

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