"In-bound" vs. "outbound" subway commute (Manhattan)

[varan]

I agree with the bulk of the advice here too. The NYC commute is a multi-faceted clusterf*, so there's no way you're going to avoid crowds by being inbound rather than outbound, like you might in cities with more suburb to urban commuting patterns. 45 minutes from Greenwich village is pretty tough to the kind of place you'd be assigned. I can't get from Astoria to some part of Manhattan in less than that, and Astoria has a very good commute. Moreover, a lot of what you're looking for there in GW is available in neat parts of Brooklyn and in other places that are a bit more economical. Be flexible.

[geoking66]

Originally Posted by nei

If you're living in Greenwich Village and your subway pass through midtown on the way to an outer borough (say, Queens), your subway is still inbound in a way. So packed at first, then likely emptying out.

Not necessarily; inbound can only refer to the passenger flow into Manhattan or vice versa because of the interconnected commuting patterns of those within Manhattan. People live on the UES and commute to the Financial District, while some in Tribeca go to the UWS. I've been on near-empty 6 trains between 14th and 33rd during rush hour, even as the 4 or the 5 is at crush load, but that would be heading inbound according to your measurement.

[nei]

Originally Posted by geoking66

Not necessarily; inbound can only refer to the passenger flow into Manhattan or vice versa because of the interconnected commuting patterns of those within Manhattan. People live on the UES and commute to the Financial District, while some in Tribeca go to the UWS. I've been on near-empty 6 trains between 14th and 33rd during rush hour, even as the 4 or the 5 is at crush load, but that would be heading inbound according to your measurement.

Ok. But still, I would think the Manhattan section of the commuter won't be exactly a reverse commute and may be more crowded than the rest?