Public transportation can get crowded, smell awful and be a bit overwhelming for a first-time rider. But in a big city with relentless traffic, it’s likely your only option. Sure, you could call an Uber if you’re not in a rush. But if you have to be at the office, early to a meeting or on time to class, this is your accelerated guide to mastering the metro system and establishing your daily commute.

Moving to a new city is scary enough without having no sense of direction in a sea of grumpy early morning commuters. Here’s how to better navigate through life in a new city:

Have a plan

If your schedule fluctuates and you have to be somewhere at 8 a.m. one day and 11 a.m. the next, try and come up with a strict time to leave your home daily. That could be leaving early enough to stop and grab breakfast or getting into work to send a few emails before the team meeting. Making the train system a convenience for you early on will save you from using it as an excuse later on.

Get yourself a map

There’s an app for that. Download it. You’ll be happy you deleted those 171 photos to make room for it.

Get a general grasp of understanding the schedules and peak times

Yes, there are times when you will have to pay more to get from point A to point B, and it would be advantageous for you to know what those peak time and peak prices are. You don’t want to wait in line to tap your card only to have to step out of line and find the next train won’t be to you for another 18 minutes. Trains generally run in intervals from anywhere between every 10 minutes to every 30 minutes. This interval can also vary based on the time of day.

Be prepared for construction, closures and delays

One thing that I know to be undeniably true is that the metro is always under construction, experiencing some unforeseeable delays or closed for maintenance. This goes back to having a plan. Try and learn all of the alternative routes to your destination (there’s alway at least two). If you stay ready, you won’t have to worry about figuring out how to get to your connecting train with little-to-no time to spare.

Memorize main stops and those lines and stations closest to you

Having a working memory of the city’s important landmarks and the stations associated with those places means you’re halfway there to mastering the metro or at least knowing how to get anywhere within a 7-mile radius of your house.

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