By Subway
Most of the city's subway lines have stops in lower Manhattan, making it one of the best ways to get to the district. There are few express stations in the area, so most trains will stop at every station in this neighborhood. Though many city bus lines serve the area, traffic is often slow on the winding streets.
The 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 lines connect the district to Uptown and the Bronx, with the 2, 3 and 4 also running to Brooklyn under the East River along with the 5 during rush hours. The A and C lines run Uptown and east out to Brooklyn, with the A continuing to the JFK Airport area. The E runs alongside the A and C lines to Midtown, where it breaks off and runs out to Queens. The R heads north to Midtown, Queens, and east to Brooklyn. Finally, the J and Z lines head northeast to Brooklyn and Queens, but be aware that Broad Street and the J/Z section of Fulton Street are closed on weekends.
Additionally, PATH subway trains connect the World Trade Center site to New Jersey. There are two lines: one to Newark and one to Hoboken, both with stops in Jersey City. The PATH costs $1.75 per ride and accept MetroCard for payment.
There is a free circulator bus around Lower Manhattan called the Downtown Connection (http://www.nextbus.com/pr...).
By ship
The Staten Island Ferry (http://www.nyc.gov/html/d...) connects the South Ferry terminal, located at the southern tip of Manhattan, to the St. George Ferry Terminal on Staten Island. The ferry is absolutely free and is popular for tourists since the route offers excellent views of Lower Manhattan and the State of Liberty. The ferry runs 24 hours a day, usually running at 30 minute intervals, with more running during rush hours and fewer running at very late hours.
NY Waterway (http://www.nywaterway.com/) operates ferry services from the World Financial Center ferry terminal and the Pier 11/Wall St. ferry terminal to several points in New Jersey along the Hudson River, including in Hoboken and Weehawken. Fares vary by route.
New York Water Taxi (http://www.nywatertaxi.com/) operates ferry services from World Financial Center, Battery Park, Pier 11/Wall St. and the South Street Seaport to points in Midtown, Brooklyn, Queens, Yonkers, and Breezy Point. Their boats are painted to look like taxis and fares vary by route.