Commuting confusion

Sometimes it takes a lot of thought to figure out the best mode of transport to get from one part of the city to another. For example, to get from downtown Brooklyn to 220 St. Manhattan: which is the best route? A train to 207 then a bus, or to 168th St. for the 1? Or is the 2 train to 68th St., followed by the 1? My destination is equidistant from the 215th and 225th stations: which one is better? Of course the answer is “it depends”. During midday, the answer is the A to the bus. At rush hours, its the A to the 1 at 168th. At night, the 2/3 to the 1 is best. 225th St. is the preferable stop, because it’s much more inhabited, but it is only served by the 9 during the day. So confusing!