Useful Info about New York

Useful Info about New York

Useful Info:

Customer Care

Useful Info about New York

Useful Info:

News

Customer Care

Useful Info about New York

SEARCH HOTELS NEW YORK

SEARCH HOTELS NEW YORK

some practical information for visiting Athens

Documentation
Passports are required by all visitors to the USA; visas are required by all except Canadians, New Zealanders and UK citizens visiting for business or tourism for a stay of not more than 90 days, and providing that an onward or return ticket is held. The regulations are constantly being checked and sometimes changed, in fight against terrorism, so always double-check the current situation.

ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization)

Crime
There is plenty of petty crime in New York and, as in any big city, strangers are easy prey. The best way to avoid being mugged is to avoid lonely, dark places. Try not to travel on the subway at night on your own or go into deserted parts of Central Park. Never carry more money than you are likely to need when you go out. If you do get mugged and/or robbed, call a cab and ask to be taken to the nearest police station. The police will file a report which will help any insurance claim you may make.

Driving
If driving in the city is unavoidable, make sure you understand the restrictions, because penalties for infringements are stringent. In many streets, parking alternates daily from one side to the other, and it is illegal to park within 3m either side of a fire hydrant. A car illegally parked will be towed away by one of the city’s super-efficient contract crews, and the driver will be fined heavily.
In case of breakdowns, services of the American Automobile Association (AAA) are free to members or affiliated motoring organisations. To rent a car you will need to have a full valid UK or EU driving licence, and a major credit card or hefty cash deposit. Hirers must also be 25 years old. Car rental is not cheap, but some discounts exist for weekend rentals. Make car reservations before entering the USA for the best deal.
The upper speed limit on interstate highways in New York State is 65mph (105km/h), but lower limits may apply on other types of road. The city limit is 30mph (48km/h) unless otherwise indicated. Passing a stopped school bus (usually yellow with flashing red lights) is illegal, and stiff fines can be imposed.

Electricity
110-15 volts AC, 60 cycles AC. Sockets (‘outlets’) take plugs with two flat-pin connections.

Emergency telephone numbers
Ambulance, fire brigade or police: 911
Medical emergencies: (212) 737 1212
Dental emergencies: (800) 336 8478
MasterCard card loss or theft: 1 800 307 7309 (toll free)

Business Hours
It may be a tired cliché, but they don’t call New York City “the city that never sleeps” for nothing. Although some stores close at 7pm, many are open until 9pm, and a few as late as 11pm. Most restaurants serve until 11pm, and later on weekends. 24-hour convenient stores on every block sell an assortment of items you might need during the night, such as groceries, beer, ice cream, cigarettes, and cold remedies.

Local Time
New York is located in Eastern Standard Time (EST), which means zone GMT -5.
So, for example, noon in New York City (EST) is 11am in Chicago (CST), 9am in Los Angeles (PST), 5pm in London (GMT) and 6pm in Rome (GMT+1).

Entertainment
Village Voice, published Wednesdays and available free of charge, lists all New York entertainments, as does the Weekend section of Friday’s New York Times. Other sources: New Yorker and New York Magazine.
Entertainment in New York is not cheap, but you can reduce the cost. Half-price tickets for Broadway and Off-Broadway shows are sold on the day of performance at TKTS booths in Times Square and near Borough Hall in Brooklyn. The main booth, in Time Square, starts selling tickets for that day’s matinees at 10am, but queue early to avoid disappointment. Tickets for evening performance are available from 3-8pm, Monday to Saturday.

Health
Vaccinations are not required for entry into the United States, but visitors are strongly advised to take out medical insurance cover. Doctors are listed in the Yellow Pages under ‘Clinics’ or ‘Physicians and Surgeons’. Emergency departments open 24 hours a day:
Bellevue Hospital: 1st Ave/E 29th St. Tel: (212) 562 4141
New York Presbyterian Hospital: 525 E 68th St. Tel (212) 746 5454
Mount Sinai Hospital: One Gustav L Levy Place. Tel: (212) 241 6500
St Vincent’s Hospital: 7th Ave/11th St. Tel: (212) 604 7000
You can also call: NY Hotel Urgent Medical Services (tel: (212) 737 1212).

Pharmacies
Medication for minor ailments and injuries can be obtained at drugstores and pharmacies, found on almost every block. They also sell a wide range of cosmetics, toiletries, sanitary items and contraceptives. Usual opening hours are 9am-6pm, Monday to Saturday, but a 24-hour service is provided by Kaufman, 557 Lexington Avenue at 50th Street (tel: (212) 755 2266).

Travel Insurance
You should take out personal travel insurance before leaving, from your travel agent, tour operator or insurance company. It should give adequate cover for medical expenses, loss and theft, personal liability and cancellation expenses. Always read the conditions, which include any exclusion and details of cover, and check that the amount of cover is adequate. Remember that medical treatment can be very expensive in the USA.

Measurements and sizes
The USA has imperial measurements.

Unit	Divisions	SI Equivalent
1 inch (in)		25.4 mm
1 foot (ft)	12 in	0.3048 m
1 yard (yd)	3 ft	0.9144 m
1 mile (mi)	5,280 ft or 1,760 yd	1.609344 km
1 acre (ac)	4480 sq yd	0.4047 ha
1 gallon		4.5460 L
1 ounce (oz)		28.349 523 125 g
1 pound (lb)	16 oz	453.592 37 g
1 ton	2000 lb	1.0160 tonnes

Women's Dresses and Suits
United States	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20
Italy	38	40	42	44	46	48	50	52
Rest of Europe	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48
UK and Ireland	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22

Children’s junior misses dresses and coats
EU	28	30	32	34	36	38	40	42
UK	3	5	7	9	11	13	15	17
US	1	3	5	7	9	11	13	15

Men’s suits, sweaters, overcoats
EU	44	46	48	50	52	54	56	58	60
UK / US	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50

Men’s shirts
EU	36	37	38	39	40	41	42
UK / US	14	14½	15	15½	16	16½	17

Money
There are coins of 1 cent (a penny), 5 cents (nickel), 10 cents (dime) and 25 cents (quarter). Dollar bills come in denominations of 1,2,5,10,20,50 and 100, and they are all exactly the same in size and colour, except that each carries a portrait of a different US president. Amount larger than $10,000 must be reported to US Customs.
Currency exchange offices, banks and automated teller machines (ATM) are widely available throughout all three New York airports, and everywhere in the city. Banking hours are usually Monday to Friday 9am-4pm. Some banks stay open later on Fridays, or open on Saturday mornings.

National Holidays
1 January: New Year’s Day
January, second Monday: Martin Luther King Day
February, third Monday: President’s Day
May, last Monday: Memorial Day
4 July: Independence Day
September, first Monday: Labour Day
October, second Monday: Columbus Day
11 November: Veterans’ Day
November, fourth Thursday: Thanksgiving
25 December: Christmas Day

Telephones
Anywhere outside the 212 and 646 codes area (Manhattan) is a long-distance call. The other boroughs are in the 718 area. Most phone booths take quarters, and a local call costs 25 cents for the first three minutes. For anything other than a local call dial 1, then the area code.
For overseas calls it is much cheaper and reasonable to use prepaid phone cards available in local shops around town (look for their advertisement in the window). First dial 011 then the country code, followed by the local code without the initial zero, and finally the local number.

Women’s blouses and sweaters