Before you come:

First, of course, don't forget to register for the convention! And if you want to stay in the FIT dorms, register for housing, as well. See the links in the sidebar to the left.

In both your convention and housing confirmation packets you'll find lots of detailed information about FIT, the surrounding area, and the convention process itself.

Print out and bring along this convention location map and address info page - you can hand it to a taxi or carry it with you as needed.

Travel around New York is complex, with many overlapping systems - bus, train, subway, taxi - so we highly recommend you find yourself a good guidebook. The "Lonely Planet" series of guidebooks are generally excellent, and, for our international visitors, they publish in German, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese and Japanese. Find a guidebook you like, and definitely read it before you come!

A detailed map of New York will be helpful if you plan on doing any sightseeing before or after the convention; transportation maps are available at major bus and train stations.

There are bus and subway stations very close to FIT, making it an easy spot from which to launch trips around the city.

And if you think you might need some extra assistance before or during the convention - whether with language, first-timer questions, or any other special requests - please get in touch with us and we'll see if we can help. Please remember that we're all volunteers, and so we cannot guarantee assistance with every special need, but will do our best to accommodate you.

Entering the U.S.

If you'll be coming from outside the United States, remember that Customs and Immigration processes at U.S. ports of entry have becoming increasingly strict; please make sure you understand what paperwork is necessary for travel from your country to the U.S..

See:

Some countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program - from these countries, a visitor's visa is not required. See the U.S. State Departement website for details:

If you are traveling from a country not participating in the Visa Waiver Program, then you will need a visa - and need to allow for sufficient time prior to your departure for visa processing - plan ahead!

Getting to NY

By air:

New York is served by three major airports, run by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

General information on getting to and from the airports is accessible here:

Specific information on each airport, including terminal maps and other details:

By train:

Long-distance, interstate travel by train into is served by Amtrak; all Amtrak trains arrive in New York at Pennsylvania Station (abbreviated "Penn Station" by locals; and with station code "NYP" within Amtrak) which is a 4-block walk from FIT. (Map)

If you're coming from the surrounding areas, you have several other choices:

  • Long Island Railroad, serving Long Island, NY, and terminating at Penn Station in Manhattan

  • Metro-North Railroad, directly serving stations East of the Hudson River out of Grand Central Station in Manhattan, and West of the Hudson via connections to New Jersey Transit's Hoboken station.

  • New Jersey Transit, serving stations in New Jersey, with service terminating in Hoboken, New Jersey, and in New York's Penn Station

By bus:

There are a huge number of bus lines running to/from New York, too numerous to list here. Most bus lines use the Port Authority Bus Terminal located between Eighth and Ninth Avenues from 40th to 42nd Street. With luggage, it's a long walk to FIT, but a short taxi ride.

By car:

Driving in New York is, perhaps, famously difficult, and street parking is hard to come by, so we recommend you take public transport to the area if at all possible. (There are a number of parking lots in the area of FIT, but they are very expensive, and sometimes fill up, making finding even paid parking something of a challenge.) If driving is till ysour best choice, you can use this Google Map to help find directions to FIT.

Getting around NY, generally:

On foot

Manhattan, in spite of its size, is a very walkable city. The roads are (mostly) laid out in a grid: "Avenues" run approximately North/South, and are either named or numbered; "Streets" run approximately East-West, and are (generally) numbered. Streets are designated "West" if they are west of 5th Avenue, and "East" if they are to the east of it. South of the area called Greenwich Village (approximately 14th Street) the strict grid begins to break down, and navigating is a bit more of a challenge.

Bus, Subway and Train

Public transportation in the city is run by the New York City Transit, part of The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

In Manhattan, buses, generally, run East-West ("crosstown") and the subway lines generally run North-South.

Taxi

New York's famous yellow taxicabs are another very useful option for getting around the city, particularly if you're traveling with a small group. Some information on the cab system in the city, including fare information:

Accessible Dispatch System

In a pilot program just launched this spring, the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission has created a system specifically aimed at helping passengers using wheelchairs hail wheelchair accessible taxi cabs in the city. Introductory information is here:

For more information, contact the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities.

Fashion Institute of Technology

The convention site will be on the campus of the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Registration for convention is in Building C, and registration for housing is at the Residential Life Office in Alumni Hall (210 West 27th Street). Suite housing is in Alumni Hall, and dorm housing is in CO-ED Hall (230 West 27th Street).