The fastest and simplest way would be to walk up to the Bowling Green Station on the 4 and 5 (of the 4-5-6, the dark green line) and take the Uptown 4 or 5 to 59th Street (at Lexington Avenue). Then you can either walk up to 67th Street, or transfer to the Uptown 6 train, 1 stop, to 68th Street-Hunter College. Then walk 3 blocks east to 1st Avenue (Lexington ---> 3rd ---> 2nd ---> 1st).
The South Ferry Station is bordered by State Street to the north, Whitehall Street to the east, the South Street Viaduct to the west, and New York Harbor to the south. Just west of South Ferry, State Street makes a hard turn and then starts running north/south instead of east/west. To get to the Bowling Green Station, just follow State Street north 3 blocks to Battery Place: South Ferry ---> Pearl Street ---> Bridge Street ---> Battery Place.
At Battery Place, State Street becomes Broadway. You'll pass the Museum of the American Indian (on your right/east side), and across the street (opposite the museum on its north side) is Bowling Green Park. The Bowling Green Station is on the west side of the park, at or near the intersection of Battery Place and State Street/Broadway.
Or, you can take the Uptown R train (of the N-R-Q-W, the yellow line) from South Ferry to 14th Street-Union Square. Then transfer at 14th Street-Union Square to the Uptown 6, and take the 6 to 68th Street-Hunter College.
However, the R is a local train, and so is the 6, so it's a long ride from South Ferry to 68th Street-Hunter College (13 stops). The 4 and 5 are express trains, and it's only 6 stops from Bowling Green to 59th Street-Lexington Avenue. But if you don't want to walk, then you'll want to take the R and the 6.
Another option is to take the R to 14th Street-Union Square, transfer there to the 4 and 5, take the 4 or 5 to 59th Street-Lexington, and then either walk the rest of the way or transfer to the 6 for 1 stop. This is a good option only if you get to the 4-5-6 platform and the next 4 or 5 trains arrive before the next 6train does. If the 6 arrives first, then I'd take it. Taking the 4 or 5 express trains won't save you any time if you have to wait awhile for them.
Also note that the R train does not run from 11 PM to 5:30 AM, so if you're traveling during those times, you'll have to take the 4 or 5 from Bowling Green.
To travel from South Ferry to 620 Columbus Avenue, you can take the 1 train from South Ferry station. Ride northbound to the 66th Street–Lincoln Center station. From there, it’s a short walk to 620 Columbus Avenue.
Take the Uptown R train (of the N-R-Q, the yellow line) from South Ferry-Whitehall Street to 5th Avenue-59th Street. FAO Schwarz is on 5th Avenue at 58th Street.Entrance to the South Ferry-Whitehall station is located inside the South Ferry-Whitehall Terminal for the Staten Island Ferry. This is actually 2 connected stations, the South Ferry station on the 1 train, and the Whitehall Street station on the R train. The ferry terminal is located on the southeast side of Battery Park.
Entrance to the South Ferry-Whitehall Street station is included inside the ferry terminal complex. This is actually 2 connected stations, the South Ferry station on the 1 train (of the 1-2-3, the red line) and the Whitehall Street station on the R train (of the N-R-Q, the yellow line).You can take the Uptown R train from South Ferry-Whitehall to 34th Street-Herald Square, and transfer there to the F.You can also take the Uptown 1 train from South Ferry-Whitehall to 14th Street (at 7th Avenue). This station is connected by a tunnel to the 14th Street station on the Fand M trains (at 6th Avenue).
South Ferry loops - New York City Subway - ended in 1977.
South Ferry loops - New York City Subway - was created in 1905.
Take the Staten Island Ferry to the Whitehall-South Ferry Terminal in Manhattan. Entrance to the South Ferry-Whitehall Street station is within the ferry terminal complex. This station is actually two connected stations, the South Ferry station on the 1 train (of the 1-2-3, the red line) and the Whitehall Street station on the R train (of the N-R-Q-W, the yellow line).Take the Uptown R train from Whitehall Street-South Ferry to Canal Street, and transfer there to the Downtown N train. Take the N from Canal Street to New Utrecht Avenue-62nd Street in Brooklyn. This is also two connected stations, the New Utrecht Avenue station on the N train, and the 62nd Street station on the D train (of the B-D-F-M, the orange line).From the N train, you'll exit on 63rd Street, between New Utrecht Avenue and 15th Avenue. Walk 0.5 blocks west on 63rd Street (you will know which way is west because traffic on 63rd Street flows west) to New Utrecht Avenue. Then walk 3 blocks north on New Utrecht Avenue to 60th Street. Turn left and walk 1.5 blocks west on 60th Street. Your destination is on the next block, between 13th and 12th Avenues.Alternate Subway Directions: the R train doesn't run from 11 PM to 5:30 AM. If you are traveling during those times, you can take the Uptown 1 train from Whitehall Street-South Ferry to 42nd Street-Times Square, and transfer there to the Downtown N.
Entrance to the South Ferry-Whitehall Street station is included inside the South Ferry Terminal complex. This is actually 2 connected stations, the South Ferry station on the 1 train (of the 1-2-3, the red line) and the Whitehall Street station on the R train (of the N-R-Q, the yellow line).Take the Uptown 1 train, 2 stops, from South Ferry to Chambers Street. Transfer at Chambers Street to the Uptown 2or 3 express trains, 8 stops, from Chambers Street to 125th Street (at Lenox Avenue).Then walk half a block west to 132 West 125th Street, between 7th and Lenox Avenues. You'll know which way is west because there is a Starbucks on the northeast corner of 125th and Lenox.
The closest subway stops are the 1 to South Ferry, the 2 or 3 to Wall Street, the R to Whitehall Street, the 4 or 5 to Bowling Green, and the J-Z to Broad Street.
In Lower Manhattan, the 1 train (of the 1-2-3, the red line) runs up and down West Broadway, then Varick Street, and then 7th Avenue South, starting at Houston Street. It runs up and down 7th Avenue South from Houston Street to 11th Street, when 7th Avenue South becomes regular 7th Avenue. From 11th Street to 59th Street, it runs up and down 7th Avenue. Above 59th Street, almost all the way to the tip of Upper Manhattan, it runs up and down Broadway.
Take the Downtown 6 train (of the 4-5-6, the dark green line) from 68th Street-Hunter College (at Lexington Avenue) to 51st Street or 42nd Street-Grand Central Station.Then walk 1 block west to Park Avenue, and 5 blocks south or 4 blocks north to 46th Street.
Take the Downtown 6 local train (of the 4-5-6, the dark green line) from 42nd Street-Grand Central to 23rd Street (at Park Avenue South).Then walk 3 blocks down Park Avenue South to 20th Street, turn right, and walk 1 block east to Broadway.
Seventh Avenue and where? Seventh Avenue runs from 59th Street to 11th Street (where it becomes 7th Avenue South).Actually, since 7th Avenue is just 1 block west of 6th, and the F runs along 6th, it really makes more sense to just walk 1 block east and get on the F, instead of transferring to it from a subway line that runs on 7th Avenue.You can get on the F train at the following stations on 6th Avenue: 14th Street, 23rd Street, 34th Street-Herald Square, 42nd Street-Bryant Park, 47th-50th Street-Rockefeller Center, 57th Street.