10 tips every New York newbie should know before riding the subway

I moved from Missouri to New York City for my summer internship almost two months ago. The city is incredibly different from the Midwest in more ways than one, but navigating the subway system has been one of the greatest learning experiences I've had since my arrival.

I am by no means an expert on riding the subway, but I've picked up some tips during my many commutes throughout the five boroughs, so I've compiled them here. 

If you follow this list, you'll slash your chances of annoying some native New Yorkers by at least half. If I can do it, so can you.

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Don't hog the ticket machines.

There's nothing more frustrating than waiting behind a group of tourists to refill your Metro card and hear your train pass by. If you're visiting the city, base your Metro card value on how long and how often you plan on commuting in the city.

If your vacation lasts for more than a day and you hope to see all of the main tourist sites via subway, I recommend the 7-day unlimited pass. You can buy it for $31. If you're not ready to commit to that, quickly pick the single ride option. 

Note: Always hold on to your card. It costs an additional dollar to purchase a new one, so don't throw it away after each ride.

Know if you're headed uptown or downtown.

The difference between uptown and downtown is essentially the first thing taught in New York Subway 101.

If you're in Manhattan, you're either headed uptown towards Queens or downtown towards Brooklyn. Figuring out which direction your destination is closer to will assure you board the right side of the track, and will save you a lot of time (and embarrassment).

Use Google Maps to figure out your train route.

There are plenty of subway apps to choose from, but I've found Google Maps to be the easiest to navigate. Odds are you're already using the app to walk around street level. 

Hit the "travel by train" option, and you'll have the recommended trains to take to your destination. There may be a few options to choose from, so opt for whichever station you are closest to.