Have you decided to make your dream come true by visiting New York? We offer you the opportunity to compare the different passes available to optimize your travels in the Big Apple!
| Pass | Benefits | Special features | Duration | Collection point | Price | Book |
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1 to 10 days | Mail Mobile application Mailbox |
From $129 to $329 |
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Choice of 3, 5 or 7 attractions | Valid for 72 hours*. | Visitors Center in New York | From $109 to $159 |
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Access to 6 iconic New York landmarks | Valid for 9 days*. | Mail or mailbox | Adult: $132 Children (6 to 17): $108 |
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3 activities to choose from | Valid for 9 days*. | Mail or mailbox | Adults: $84 Children (ages 5 to 12): $64 |
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3 to 10 visits to choose from over 80 tourist attractions | Valid for 30 days*. | Mail Mobile application |
Adults: from $94 to $229 Children: from $70 to $170 |
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*With the exception of the Freestyle Pass, which is valid for 72 hours, all passes are valid for 1 year from the date of purchase and are activated the first time they are used. Please refer to the table below for details.
New York is the symbol of lavish America, and represents theAmerican way of life in its own right: towering buildings, wide, noisy and bustling avenues, omnipresent advertising extolling the virtues of US-born multinationals, world-famous monuments, etc.
In fact, you’re already familiar with New York, having seen dozens of films and TV series set there. But to discover the Big Apple in the best possible way, you have no choice but to go there!
The problem is that the city is gigantic and there are countless tourist attractions. To make things easier for you, you can invest in a pass to benefit from discounts when you visit, or to simplify your travels.
Given the plethora of these tourist packages on offer, we’ve decided to present you with the most interesting New York passes so that you can choose the best option according to the length of your stay, your budget or, quite simply, your desires!
So, are you ready to set sail for this mythical metropolis and discover the America of your dreams, for real? We’ve chosen to present you with the 5 main passes that will enable you to visit New York with ease, providing you with all the information you need to choose the one that’s right for you. Let’s go!
New York Pass Reviews
Photo Credit: Shutterstock / Osugi
The New York Pass is ideal for visiting New York and making the most of what the Big Apple has to offer. This pass gives visitors a choice of over 100 tourist sites.
In addition to must-sees like theEmpire State Building, the Top of the Rock observation platform, the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, the Statue of Liberty or the memorial dedicated to the September 11th attack, you can also discover some unusual activities.
Whether it’s the spirits tasting available at Spirits on Foot, the naughty Museum of Sex or Legoland for the little ones! Given that some of these attractions take several hours to visit, we obviously advise you to use this pass during a longer stay, and not for a weekend, which would limit you considerably.
The New York Pass is unique in that it acts as an all-inclusive ticket for most of the attractions selected, and offers several durations and corresponding rates:
- 1 day for $127
- 2 days for $179
- 3 days for $199
- 4 days for $222
- 5 days for $242
- 7 days for $272
- 10 days for $315
Once purchased on the official website – where you can find all the activities available – the pass is sent directly to you by e-mail. All you have to do is print it out or save it directly to your smartphone and present it at the entrance to each tourist site.
You can buy your New York Pass a year in advance, and it will activate the first time you use it on site. What’s more, the pass is refundable up to 30 days after purchase, in case of unforeseen circumstances or if you’ve decided to choose another pass!
FreeStyle Pass review
Photo credit: Shutterstock / Leonard Zhukovsky
This pass allows you to visit New York on the Hop On Hop Off bus lines, which include a professional guide with commentary on the route, and allow you to get off whenever you like. Which is super convenient, because once you’ve got your ticket, you can hop on and off as many times as you like on these tourist buses, which run all over the city and serve the most popular points of interest!
This flexible package offers a choice of 3, 5 or 7 attractions from a selection of over 40 sites, priced at $109, $139 and $159 respectively.
Valid for one year from the date of purchase of the ticket – to be ordered on the official website and collected from one of New York’s many Visitors Centers – this pass allows you to visit New York without getting tired. It includes unlimited access, for 3 days, to the Hop On Hop Off bus and ferry lines.
Ideal if you also want to discover the Manhattan skyline while enjoying a beautiful boat ride!
As for activities, in addition to the above-mentioned must-sees, let’s mention Rockefeller Center, renting a bicycle to stroll through the mythical Central Park, or a cruise around Ellis Island and its famous Statue of Liberty.
New York CityPASS Reviews
This tourist pass is ideal if you want to visit the must-see sites in the Big Apple at a reduced price, with one major advantage: the New York CityPASS acts as a ticket cutter! This is particularly useful when you want to discover some of the most visited places in the world!
The New York CityPASS includes free access to the city’s iconic tourist attractions:
- The Empire State Building
- The American Museum of Natural History
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Top of the Rock / Guggenheim Museum (your choice)
- The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island / A Circle Line cruise (your choice)
- The September 11th Memorial and Museum /Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum (choice)
Valid for 1 year from date of purchase, then 9 days from first use, the ticket costs $132 for an adult and $108 for a child aged 6 to 17. For children under 6, most attractions are free or at a reduced price, so there’s no need to buy a pass for them to visit New York.
Tickets can be purchased on the official New York CityPASS website, and stored on your smartphone or printed out. It can also be delivered in the form of a ticket, but shipping costs can be high, depending on the address you choose. (Prefer the paper version!)
Reviews of the New York C3 PASS
Even more minimalist, the New York C3 PASS is a shortened version of the New York CityPASS. It offers the same benefits and access to the same activities, but you can only choose 3!
So it’s perfect for a short stay, or if you’ve decided to explore the city on your own without spending too much time in the more touristy areas!
Adults (aged 13 and over) pay $84 for a ticket, while children aged 5 to 12 pay $64 when booking.
Reviews of the New York City Explorer Pass
Photo credit: Shutterstock / Vladimir Korostyshevskiy
Finally, we couldn’t leave out the New York City Explorer Pass: a compromise between the above-mentioned packages, but one that can quickly prove to be the most interesting! It gives travelers visiting New York the opportunity to make between 3 and 10 visits to over 80 tourist destinations.
It is particularly suitable for stays of more than 2 weeks in the Big Apple, as it remains valid for 30 days from its activation date!
While it does not, unfortunately, act as a ticket to cut through the crowds, it is nonetheless appreciated for the great freedom it offers the user. The pass can be customized when purchased on the official website, and while the must-see tourist sites are obviously included, it is also possible to add unusual and sometimes expensive activities, which can generate additional costs.
Whether it’s a helicopter flight over the city – the perfect way to see New York from the air – or a cruise aboard a magnificent Clipper City Tall Ship!
To avoid budgetary problems, we recommend that you carry out simulations when creating your tourist program prior to booking your pass.
If you would like to take advantage of the classic version of the New York City Explorer Pass, here are the rates in effect for July 2019:
- 3 attraction pass: Adult: $94 – Child: $70
- 4 attraction pass: Adult: $125 – Child: $90
- 5-ride pass: Adults: $140 – Children: $105
- 7-ride pass: Adult: $180 – Child: $134
- 10-ride pass: Adults: $229 – Children: $170
Why book a pass to visit New York?
As you can see, visiting New York is not something you can improvise, so it’s a good idea to consider booking a pass. Firstly, to benefit from substantial discounts. For example, the New York City Pass allows you to save 43% compared to visiting the same tourist sites without having booked this pass!
For some activities, transportation can be included so that you don’t have to pay a penny more for your trip. This is particularly true of the FreeStyle Pass, based around the Hop On Hop Off bus routes that criss-cross the New York metropolis.
Whether you want to optimize your travels, save time during your stay in New York or take advantage of unusual activities that might not have attracted you at first glance, passes are the perfect tools for foreign travelers visiting New York to ensure an unforgettable stay.
As for which pass will be best suited to your visit to New York, it’s up to you to determine this by preparing your program based on the information you now have at your disposal. Exciting, isn’t it?
Which pass in New York? FAQ
Is there a predefined order for tours?
New-York passes do not impose an order of visit. You can organize your visit as you wish.
Can passes be purchased in dollars only?
You can pay for your passes in euros, by card. What’s more, buying your passes online is a major advantage: you don’t have to pay exchange fees!
Are passes nominative?
All New-York passes are nominative. You must therefore present one per person.
Do I need to book tours in advance?
There’s no need to book tours in advance, unless indicated. All you have to do is turn up during opening hours, and that’s it!
What’s the best pass for 1 week in New York?
The Explorer Pass is ideal if you want to spread your visits over 1 week. You can tailor it to suit your needs, from the number of days to the activities you choose.
What’s the best pass for your first time in New York?
The best pass for a first time in New York is the New York City Pass, which gives access to the city’s top landmarks.
What’s the best pass for visiting must-see monuments?
As mentioned above, the New York City Pass gives you access to all the city’s must-see monuments.
Which pass to book for maximum savings?
It’s the New-York Pass that allows you to make maximum savings on your visits. Discounts can be as much as 70%.
Which pass to book for a family trip to New York?
If you’d like to discover New York with the whole family, the Freestyle Pass is ideal, as it saves you long journeys on foot thanks to bus tours.
Which pass should I book to see as many museums as possible?
If you want to visit as many museums as possible during your stay in New York, you’ll want to take the legendary New York Pass. It allows you to see the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Ground Zero Museum and much more!
Which pass should I book to access the Empire Stade Building?
The Empire State Building tour is available in :
– New York City Pass
– Explorer Pass
– New-York Pass
What is the pass including a helicopter flight?
This is the New York Explorer Pass, which allows you to get a bird’s eye view of the city from a helicopter.
Which pass includes a Broadway musical?
The New York Pass gives you access to Broadway Shows at a reduced price. Find out more about the New York Pass offer.
Which passes include access to the New York subway?
No pass includes access to the New York subway. You can, however, read our article on transportation in New York for more information on the subway.
Which passes in New York offer a promotional code?
Throughout the year, the various Passes to visit New York offer promo codes directly on their websites.