Finding a taxi in New York is sometimes as easy as sticking out your hand, while other times it can be completely impossible. But wait—don’t head for the subway just yet! We asked a group of cab drivers for their picks of the best places in the city to find a taxi when you need one, so take a look at the map below and see if your shining yellow savior might be just around the corner…
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A: Lexington and 84th St
“On Lexington and 84th Street there's a pizza place and there's usually night parking there. The people who come out of that bar near there are really lucky, they get a cab right away.”
—Erin Samuelsen, 33, Sheepshead Bay, Cabbie since 2012
B: 58th St between 8th and 9th Av
“During evening rush hours, try 58th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues. Cabbies heading for Midtown on Columbus Avenue after dropping a passenger off on the Upper West Side often use this route.”
—Paramdeep Singh, 23, Sunny Side, Cabbie since 2013
C: The Columbus Circle taxi stand
“The Columbus Circle taxi stand, anytime except during the morning rush. The taxi stand in front of the Time Warner Building is very popular with cabbies (including myself).”
—Eugene Saloman, 66, Jersey City, Cabbie since 1977 and author of Cabs Are For Kissing and Confessions Of A New York Taxi Driver
D & E: 60th St on either 5th Ave or Park Ave
“During evening rush hours in Midtown on the East Side, walk uptown to 60th Street on either 5th Ave or Park Ave. These two avenues are all residential above 59th Street and cabs drop off passengers on the Upper East Side, then drive downtown empty until they hit the business district, which begins at 59th Street.”
—Eugene Saloman
F: 1st Ave at 60th or 62nd St
“Go wherever there’s an entry point into Manhattan from any East River bridge or tunnel, not just the Triboro Bridge. The best are the 59th Street Bridge entry points like 1st Avenue at 60th or 62nd. Then nearby is 2nd Avenue at 63rd, 61st, 59th or 58th Streets. A passenger once described these points to me as the places ‘where cabs are born.’”
—Eugene Saloman
G: East side of 2nd Av at 43rd St
“In evening rush hours, try on the east side of 2nd Avenue at 43rd Street. The apartment buildings of Tudor City have only one entrance (41st Street) and one exit (43rd Street). You can catch a cab on its way out after dropping off a resident.”
—Eugene Saloman
H: East side on 42nd and Park Av
“We only have one taxi stand in front of Grand Central. During rush hour, cabs aren’t allowed to take a right on Vanderbilt, nor are they allowed to turn on Madison or 5th Ave—drivers have to go west to 6th Ave, so most avoid Grand Central just because of that. A lot of cab drivers drop off on the east side on 42nd and Park Ave, so that's where it’ll be easier to catch a cab.”
—Frederick Amoafa, 46, Hollis, cabbie since 1995
I: The Hess Station at 10th Ave and 44th St
“Go to a gas station (if you can find one—there are only nine left in Manhattan, south of 96th Street). The Hess Station at 44th and 10th is the biggest and the best.”
—Eugene Saloman
J: 10th Ave and 33rd St
“There's a McDonald’s on 10th Ave and 33rd Street where a lot of drivers stop, and it's great for people getting on Mega and Bolt busses.”
—Erin Samuelsen
K: East side of 31st and 8th Av
If you’re in a hurry when you get off the Amtrak at Penn Station, don’t wait in line at the dispatcher. Go to the east side of 31st and 8th Avenue; the cabs are all dropping off passengers there, so you’ll always see empty cabs.
—John McDonaugh, 60 Middle Village, Queens, cabbie since 1976
L: East side of 31st on 7th Ave
“For a cab at Penn Station, go to the east side of 7th Ave at 31st Street, or to the south side of 31st on 8th Ave. Passengers en route to Penn Station who get stopped at a red light at these intersections often get out there and walk the rest of the way to the station.”
—Eugene Saloman
M: 10th Ave and 28th St
“There’s a Halal truck that's popular with cab drivers where guys will stop and eat. They won't take you while they're eating—if they're on their break, they're on their break!—but you can definitely catch one after they’re finished.”
—Melissa Plout, 39, East Williamsburg, Cabbie since 2004
N: 21st St and 7th Av
“There's a taxi stand on 21st Street at 7th Ave that I go to a lot. It’s a good one because it's also a relief stand where drivers can park and go to the bathroom.”
—Erin Samuelsen
O: Lexington between 26-29th Sts
“A lot of drivers take breaks on Lexington between 26-29th Streets. A lot of cabs that I see late at night end up on Lexington in the 20’s, because people change shifts there.”
—Paramdeep Singh
P: The BP garage on Houston and Lafayette
“The BP on Houston and Lafayette during shift change [typically around 4pm] is a popular spot to fill up and wait for the night driver to show.”
—Melissa Plout
Q: Houston St on Avenue A
“Houston Street on Avenue A is a great place for a mid-shift break for drivers. There’s a Punjabi Delhi there where I can usually grab Indian food quickly without having to wait in long lines.”
—Paramdeep Singh
“On Lexington and 84th Street there's a pizza place and there's usually night parking there. The people who come out of that bar near there are really lucky, they get a cab right away.”
—Erin Samuelsen, 33, Sheepshead Bay, Cabbie since 2012
B: 58th St between 8th and 9th Av
“During evening rush hours, try 58th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues. Cabbies heading for Midtown on Columbus Avenue after dropping a passenger off on the Upper West Side often use this route.”
—Paramdeep Singh, 23, Sunny Side, Cabbie since 2013
C: The Columbus Circle taxi stand
“The Columbus Circle taxi stand, anytime except during the morning rush. The taxi stand in front of the Time Warner Building is very popular with cabbies (including myself).”
—Eugene Saloman, 66, Jersey City, Cabbie since 1977 and author of Cabs Are For Kissing and Confessions Of A New York Taxi Driver
D & E: 60th St on either 5th Ave or Park Ave
“During evening rush hours in Midtown on the East Side, walk uptown to 60th Street on either 5th Ave or Park Ave. These two avenues are all residential above 59th Street and cabs drop off passengers on the Upper East Side, then drive downtown empty until they hit the business district, which begins at 59th Street.”
—Eugene Saloman
F: 1st Ave at 60th or 62nd St
“Go wherever there’s an entry point into Manhattan from any East River bridge or tunnel, not just the Triboro Bridge. The best are the 59th Street Bridge entry points like 1st Avenue at 60th or 62nd. Then nearby is 2nd Avenue at 63rd, 61st, 59th or 58th Streets. A passenger once described these points to me as the places ‘where cabs are born.’”
—Eugene Saloman
G: East side of 2nd Av at 43rd St
“In evening rush hours, try on the east side of 2nd Avenue at 43rd Street. The apartment buildings of Tudor City have only one entrance (41st Street) and one exit (43rd Street). You can catch a cab on its way out after dropping off a resident.”
—Eugene Saloman
H: East side on 42nd and Park Av
“We only have one taxi stand in front of Grand Central. During rush hour, cabs aren’t allowed to take a right on Vanderbilt, nor are they allowed to turn on Madison or 5th Ave—drivers have to go west to 6th Ave, so most avoid Grand Central just because of that. A lot of cab drivers drop off on the east side on 42nd and Park Ave, so that's where it’ll be easier to catch a cab.”
—Frederick Amoafa, 46, Hollis, cabbie since 1995
I: The Hess Station at 10th Ave and 44th St
“Go to a gas station (if you can find one—there are only nine left in Manhattan, south of 96th Street). The Hess Station at 44th and 10th is the biggest and the best.”
—Eugene Saloman
J: 10th Ave and 33rd St
“There's a McDonald’s on 10th Ave and 33rd Street where a lot of drivers stop, and it's great for people getting on Mega and Bolt busses.”
—Erin Samuelsen
K: East side of 31st and 8th Av
If you’re in a hurry when you get off the Amtrak at Penn Station, don’t wait in line at the dispatcher. Go to the east side of 31st and 8th Avenue; the cabs are all dropping off passengers there, so you’ll always see empty cabs.
—John McDonaugh, 60 Middle Village, Queens, cabbie since 1976
L: East side of 31st on 7th Ave
“For a cab at Penn Station, go to the east side of 7th Ave at 31st Street, or to the south side of 31st on 8th Ave. Passengers en route to Penn Station who get stopped at a red light at these intersections often get out there and walk the rest of the way to the station.”
—Eugene Saloman
M: 10th Ave and 28th St
“There’s a Halal truck that's popular with cab drivers where guys will stop and eat. They won't take you while they're eating—if they're on their break, they're on their break!—but you can definitely catch one after they’re finished.”
—Melissa Plout, 39, East Williamsburg, Cabbie since 2004
N: 21st St and 7th Av
“There's a taxi stand on 21st Street at 7th Ave that I go to a lot. It’s a good one because it's also a relief stand where drivers can park and go to the bathroom.”
—Erin Samuelsen
O: Lexington between 26-29th Sts
“A lot of drivers take breaks on Lexington between 26-29th Streets. A lot of cabs that I see late at night end up on Lexington in the 20’s, because people change shifts there.”
—Paramdeep Singh
P: The BP garage on Houston and Lafayette
“The BP on Houston and Lafayette during shift change [typically around 4pm] is a popular spot to fill up and wait for the night driver to show.”
—Melissa Plout
Q: Houston St on Avenue A
“Houston Street on Avenue A is a great place for a mid-shift break for drivers. There’s a Punjabi Delhi there where I can usually grab Indian food quickly without having to wait in long lines.”
—Paramdeep Singh
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