[stragulus]

As a EU import, I understand. Actually, most of the city is quite dirty, relatively. It's probably even a US issue. Non-rich neighborhoods simply don't get to spend much on anything serving the public, including upkeep. This goes for much of NYC as well, despite it being a 'rich' city.

The information on schedules and changes due to maintenance are overwhelming for a tourist. At nights and in weekends especially, there are often trains being rerouted in very creative ways. Though all of this information is posted, it's often hard to understand for a non-local. It often mentions station names, which mean nothing to you if you don't live here (and even if you do it's not always obvious). Luckily the locals are always happy to help you with directions, contrary to popular belief, so just ask away!