Columbia University
- Transportation

RT
Currently attending or alumni?
Review this school!
Are you interested
in this school?
Saving your decision
Yes
Maybe
No

We will attempt to notify this
school of your interest.

This school has been saved to your schools list.

This school has been removed from your recommended schools list.

For your next recommendation, check out .

Columbia University - Transportation - Transportation - College ProwlerCollege Prowler4.24

Transportation

Quick Stats

Best Ways to Get Around Town
  • Bus
  • By foot
  • Cab
  • Subway
Best Ways to Get to the Airport
  • The cheapest way to JFK is by subway and Air Transit, which costs $7 ($2 for subway and $5 for Air Trans). Time there depends on luck, but can be as fast as one hour and 15 minutes, which is only a little longer than in a cab. Fastest way: Take RED 1 Downtown to 59th Street Columbus Circle, switch to Orange B or D Downtown and take for one stop. Get off at 7th Avenue, switch to Blue E to Queens, get off at Sutphin Boulevard/Archer Avenue/JFK Airport, take Air Trans. While it may sound complicated, you will quickly master the route, and after all, $7 is a whole lot cheaper than a cab.
  • The M60 bus leaves from Columbia’s gates and will drop you at whatever terminal you need at LaGuardia for the regular bus fare.

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Just outside of Columbia’s gates are a subway station and a bus stop. You can get anywhere in New York by using public transportation, and it’s open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The subway is cheap and relatively convenient. Although it takes some students awhile to get a hang of it, they all agree that it is easy to get around by public transportation. The bus is also a favorite because it allows people to actually see where they are going. Some students just hate the subway, and they choose to take a cab. A cab is worth the extra expense if you hate lines and want to get somewhere faster, or if you are suffering from a little bit of car envy.

Unlike many schools, Columbia students rely on public transportation and their feet to get around the city. There is nowhere a Columbia student cannot get to by using the MTA system. You can really get anywhere in the city with a Metrocard, as long as you have time, a map, and a couple of bucks—Metrocards are available at any subway station, just two dollars for one trip on the subway or bus.

See how you stack up against students who were accepted to this school . . .And calculate your chances!Register to get started

Columbia Student ReviewsWhat's This?

Sort by:

Loading...

Transportation at Columbia University

tovendan

Political Science and Government '12

0.8
D-

Public Subway

A very disgusting subway (the 1 line) filled with rats, homeless people, and beggars is adjacent to the main gate. The subway station on the west side of the campus (A,C,D,B) is in a somewhat dangerous neighborhood. People have been mugged walking through the projects getting there at night. Taxis are available, but are very expensive.

Apr 09, 2012

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Transportation at Columbia University

sapphire1223

Urban Studies and Affairs '15

5.0
A+

Subway System and Cabs Rock

What's more convenient than the NYC subway system or hailing a cab? I wouldn't even laugh at someone who brings a car here; I would personally check them in to a mental hospital. No parking ever. You have everything you need just a subway swipe away.

Mar 20, 2012

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Transportation at Columbia University

sxiong93

Computer and Information Sciences '15

5.0
A+

Great Transportation

All buildings are within walking distance. The furthest dorm is about half a mile away from campus, but very few people elect to live there. You will be able to get to your classes in 10 minutes or less. If there is a sporting event at the off-campus athletic complex (Baker), there are free coach buses, and the subway is a great option as well.

Mar 19, 2012

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate
User rating for Columbia University - Transportation is 4.6 out of 5 based on 25 user reviews.

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate the cost of the following transit options

Rate the convenience of the following transit options

Rate the convenience of long-distance transportation to travel between home and school

How convenient is the campus-provided transportation?

How necessary is it to have a car on campus?

How easy is it to get around town?

Facts

Did You Know? For those who cannot follow directions, Columbia has a Web site called www.carsplit.com where students can travel together and split cab fares. Groups have to be created at least a day in advance, so plan ahead.

Public TransitWhat's This?

MTA

Ask attendants at subway stations for maps and schedules.

Nearest AirportWhat's This?

Newark

you can fly in and out of town on any airline you want

LaGuardia

you can fly in and out of town on any airline you want

JFK

you can fly in and out of town on any airline you want

Nearest Passenger BusWhat's This?

Greyhound

All Greyhound buses leave from Port Authority at Times Square.

Nearest Passenger TrainWhat's This?

Amtrak

Metro-North trains go to upstate New York and Connecticut. Amtrak services the northeast corridor and points west.

Become a Contributing Author Learn more »

Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Alexandre Millet
Hometown
Washington D.C., Geneva
Major
Economics and Computer Science

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

Buy the eBook "Columbia University 2012: Off The Record"
Download a FREE Printable Summary (PDF)