How to easily find the right address in New York: formulas and life hacks

New York may seem pretty easy to navigate. But that doesn't mean it's always easy to get where you need to go. Edition Time-out suggested 10 life hacks that will help you navigate the city.

1. Odd-numbered streets go west, and even-numbered streets go east

In addition, odd-numbered buildings are on the north side of the streets, and even-numbered buildings are on the south side. On the north-south streets, odd-numbered buildings are on the west side and even-numbered buildings are on the east side.

2. The color of the tiles at subway stations can tell you if you missed an express stop.

The colors that come to mind when you think of the New York City subway system are probably related to the lines on the official MTA map. Tourists still say "orange line" or "blue line" when trying to navigate the subway.

However, there is another, less well-known color code in the metro - colored tiles on the walls of the stations. They are not just decoration, they carry useful information. Tiles of the same color were installed at each local station between express stops. Thus, it was easy to determine which zone the train was passing through. Many of the original colored tiles were removed during various renovations, but some of them still remain.

Information about the colors of the tiles at the stations of different zones can be found here.

3. The address of the building can tell you which streets it is between (there is a special formula)

For West Side addresses, simply add 5 to the first digit of the house number in the address if it is three or more digits (use zero if the house number is only two digits). As a result, you will get the number of the avenue after which the house you need is located. For example, 225 W 37th St. (2 + 5 = 7), that is, the house with this address is located on W 37th St. between Seventh and Eighth Avenues.

For the East Side, simply subtract 5 from the house number in the address in the same way and you will get the number of the avenue in front of which you need to look for the building of interest to you. For example, a building with the address 150 E 18th St (1 - 5 = -4) is located on E 18th St between Fourth and Third Avenues.

4. Fifth Avenue divides New York into east and west

The reason the above trick works is because Fifth Avenue divides the city into east and west.

5. Black dots on the NYC subway map represent local stops, while white dots represent express stops.

This information is for those who are wondering why so many more trains always stop at white stops.

6. Use the lampposts in Central Park

Central Park is huge and easy to get lost in. But there is one simple trick that will help you get your bearings. Most lampposts have a set of numbers engraved on their bases corresponding to the numbers of the streets and their intersections where you would be if the streets passed through the park.

On the subject: How to make your life in New York easier: 18 life hacks

7. In most of Manhattan, train platforms for trains traveling to uptown are located on the east side of the streets, and for trains traveling to the center of the city - on the west side.

Never waste another swipe again.

8. Directions of traffic on the main avenues of Manhattan alternate

From First Avenue to 11th Avenue, the direction of traffic alternates on each avenue. The exceptions are Third Avenue, which is two-way to 24th Street and then one-way, north; as well as Fourth Avenue, which travels north before crossing into Park Avenue South, a dual carriageway.

9. A handy mnemonic phrase will help you remember the order of the streets in the city center

“You can take a CAB back home if it's Luntil PM. It's an easy way to remember that uptown, from left to right, are Columbus, Amsterdam, Broadway, Lexington, Park, and Madison avenues.

10. Google Maps

In most cases, of course, you can use Google Maps.