Alice Cheong wrote an interesting article about the hustle over the privatization of the Singapore public transport system that is currently going on and questions why the government is not taking over the system.

Public transport in Melbourne has come under a bit of fire lately, but getting to know city transport is still one of the best things you can do when you’re coming in for a visit.

Be brave, take the bus!
Yes, I know what you think when you see these to nearly bursting packed old two story vehicles roaring past you, but sometimes they can be more efficient then expected and after two years, I recently discovered that they even take you to places you usually thought would only be accessible via cab.

Have you heard that going by bike is absolutely the best way to get around Amsterdam?

Biking in Amsterdam is popular. So popular that the Netherlands actually has more bikes inside the country than people. If this sounds strange to you, just think about the moment that you have a flat tire on your bike and can't get to work. What do you do? You hop on your spare bike of course! Not everyone has a spare bike, but to give you an idea, I live in a household of two, and we have three bikes---one for each of us and one spare one. It's kind of like the car situation in a lot of American households I know!

If you are visiting New York City, chances are at some point in your trip (but more likely for most of it) you will be using the generally excellent and very extensive NYC subway system to get yourself around town. However, if you go to buy a ticket at one of the automated booths located before the turnstiles in each station, you will realize this is quickly going to add up: one single way fare costs $2, and if you are traveling as a family, this means your transportation costs are quickly going to become one of the most expensive parts of your trip.

But never fear! There is a way to make your subway rides on the system free (well, sort of) and still stay on the right side of the law. If you navigate around the menu options presented to you, you will see that you can buy a pass with as much money on it as you would like ($7 or more gets you 15% extra value added to your card). This is a good option if you will only be in the city a few hours and are not planning on spending much time using the subway system, as these cards are refillable at any station.

Look past this option, however, and you will find a variety of unlimited ride options. That is what this article is about, because if you plan strategically in terms of estimating the length of your visit and how much you anticipate using the subway while in New York, you can wind up saving yourself quite a good deal of money.

First there is the 1 day Fun Pass, which at $7.50, is not a bad deal at all for a day - four one-way trips on the subway will pay for it. It becomes valid the first time you swipe it, and lasts through to 3 am the next morning, so if you're only in New York for a day, this is a fantastic option (or even two days, if you buy a second one day pass).

If, however, you are planning a stay in New York of more than 2 days, you would do well to look into purchasing the $25 7-day unlimited pass. $25 is not cheap, but, as I mentioned earlier, if you evaluate the one time cost of paying for the pass with how long you will be in the city and how often you plan to use the subway (or the bus system, for that matter), this may prove to be a very good deal indeed. For longer stays, the MTA also offers 14 and 30 day unlimited passes.

The added benefit of the 7-day pass is, like the one day pass, a great way of freeing up yourself to explore the city at will. Since you do not need to worry about refilling the card and adding to the amount of money you are spending on your trip, it allows you to be more relaxed about using public transportation and exploring parts of the city that you might not otherwise have gone to. It also means that you can hop on and off at will if a particular area strikes your fancy or if you find yourself tired from too much walking.

This, to me, is one of the greatest gifts someone could give me in a city that has so much to explore. I've done the same thing in London and Paris, and I have yet to regret the freedom that an unlimited pass gives me. I can explore neighborhoods, dash down to restaurants, see the sights and essentially do as I please freed from the concern of how much my transportation is costing me. If you are like me, I strongly encourage you to invest in one of these unlimited passes. I promise you you will not regret it.

While the Subway and buses may be the cheapest ways to travel around New York City (walking is the absolute least expensive!), they aren't always the most convenient way to get around. Taxis, or taxicabs, are often a better choice if you want to get somewhere fast, and have door-to-door services.

When traveling around New York City, you have several options for getting from one place to another. While many people only think of the Subway system when they imagine traveling in NYC, there are actually many other ways to get around - to different neighborhoods and different landmarks.