For new visitors, New York City can be as intimidating as it is seductive. With more than 8 million inhabitants and 220,000 companies distributed across five districts and More than 350 neighborhoodsit would take several lifetimes to fully explore the dynamic and ever-changing city that many of us Condé Nast Traveler editors call home. To navigate the chaos, New Yorkers must follow a few basic rules, from subway and sidewalk etiquette to unspoken social norms.

To help travelers experience the best city in the world with confidence and ease, we’ve rounded up 15 unwritten rules everyone should know before visiting New York, including tips and tricks for planning your next trip. Consider this a cheat sheet for experiencing New York like a local – and when you visit, know that while New Yorkers may not be Midwest or West Coast friendly, we’re always happy to give you a helping hand if you need directions, advice or help. lugging that oversized suitcase up the subway stairs.

New York City has 472 subway stations and 28 lines covering the 5 boroughs.

© Marco Bottigelli

Plan for traffic and delays

As a native New Yorker, this one was a difficult lesson to learn – and one I’ve learned the hard way so many times – especially when hailing a cab can seem so convenient. When you’re late for that Broadway show you’ve booked weeks in advance, don’t – and I mean NOT count – on air travel to get you there on time. Most often, parades, protests, rallies, street fairs, or movie shoots (or all of the above) take place, especially in the busiest parts of the city. Using the metro will almost always be your best choice. If you’re in a metro desert, taking the bus is still a better option, as they use dedicated bus lanes. My best advice for avoiding the mess of all of the above? Give yourself plenty of extra time to get around anywhere. Even though it seems close, you never know what kind of bizarre incident might cause cars and trains to slosh around the city. — Emilie Adler, Assistant Social Media Manager

Use public transport

As mentioned above, public transport is the best way to explore the city. New York has one of the best public transportation systems in the world, including trains, buses, ferriesand even a tram. With 472 stations and 28 lines covering the 5 arrondissements, the metro is the most convenient option. To plan your route, connect your destination to the New York Subway MTA Map app or use the transit option on Apple Maps or Google Maps. Always make sure you choose the correct entrance based on the direction you’re traveling in (in Manhattan this will mostly be Midtown or Midtown) to avoid ending up on the wrong side of the tracks. You can pay contactless with your phone, contactless credit card or metro card.

It’s time for your period. When the subway arrives, stand next to (not in front of) the door to let the passengers off the train first. Once everyone has disembarked, you can board. If the doors close as soon as you arrive, don’t panic and don’t keep them open. There’s probably another train right behind it. If there are a lot of people crammed into one car, move toward the center to make room for passengers filing behind you. And if you get stuck right in front of the door, you’ll have to exit at the next stop to let people out (just stand to the right or left and then you can get back on). Now for seat etiquette: they’re for cigarette butts, not bags, so don’t hog a seat with your purse. Offer your place if you see someone who needs it more. If you are standing and carrying a backpack on a crowded train, take it off and hold it in your hands or place it near your feet so you don’t hit people behind you. When you finally arrive at your destination and climb the stairs back to life on the surface, real New Yorkers will always offer to help you carry strollers or heavy suitcases – we’re all in this together. —Hannah Towey, associate editor

This subway car is empty for a reason

Never get on an empty subway car, because there’s probably a good reason for it. It may be the air conditioning or heating that is not working; someone’s grocery bags whose indeterminable contents exploded onto the floor; the possibility of encountering some odor that turns your stomach – the list is endless. Instead, sit in an airless car and trust that there are a hundred different reasons why every New Yorker around you has decided to do the same. —Arati Menonglobal digital director