New York Pass and tourist cards: complete guide 2026

Want to save up to 50% on New York attractions?
New York passes are the most effective way to see more while spending less. In this comprehensive guide, updated for 2026, you'll find out which pass to choose and when it's really worth it.

New York City is a dream destination: a trip awaited by many, one that deserves to be experienced to the fullest. Millions of people visit it every year, attracted by its iconic sites, culture and entertainment.

Between museums, observatories, tours and excursions, there are so many things to do. And because of this, choosing a New York City pass is the best strategy for saving money and enjoying the city without stress.
There are several, each with specific logic and benefits, depending on the type of trip you are planning.

But which solution really pays off for your trip?
In this guide you will find a detailed comparison of the main cards available, with clear explanations, practical examples and useful tips for making an informed choice without making mistakes.

The goal is concrete: to save you time and money by showing you which pass really fits your itinerary.

What to see in New York City?

New York's appeal stems from the quantity and variety of experiences it offers: skyscrapers from which to view the city, some of the world's most famous museums, urban parks, multi-ethnic neighborhoods, and atmospheres that change from street to street. It embodies the concept of a great metropolis at its best.
It is difficult to explain in words the feeling that New York conveys to those who visit; the best way to capture this mood is to explore the city, through its tourist attractions and experiences.

It is a city that everyone usually likes. It has so many sides and facets that everyone finds their own key to the city, which will make them feel they are in an extraordinary place.

New York City is a nuanced metropolis with truly many things to do and see through its tourist attractions and experiences.

For those visiting New York City for the first time, there are many stops to include in the itinerary-many included in major tourist passes.
Let's look at the most famous and important ones:

• Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island-the symbol par excellence. Reached by boat, also stopping at Ellis Island, historic gateway for immigrants.
• Empire State Building - historic New York City skyscraper, the most famous. You can go up to the observatory for a unique panoramic view-it is only one of 5 panoramic observatories in the city.
• Top of the Rock - The perfect alternative for viewing the skyline. Panoramic observatory with the Empire State included in the view!
• Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) - The must-see museum for lovers of modern and contemporary art, featuring iconic works by Van Gogh, Warhol, Picasso.
• American Museum of Natural History - Beloved by families and children, famous for dinosaurs and spectacular reconstructions.
• One World Observatory - Downtown, in the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere (with panoramic observatory), where the Twin Towers once stood.
• Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) – One of the largest and most comprehensive museums in the world, perfect for lovers of classical art.
• The Edge - The most spectacular observatory, with a platform "suspended" over Manhattan.
• 9/11 Memorial & Museum - A must see, to understand the history of 9/11 up close.
• Tourist boat cruise - Beautiful, especially at sunset.
• Hop-on Hop-off sight seeing bus tour-the evergreen sightseeing stop bus service, ideal for those who want to move between major neighborhoods and attractions while enjoying the sights without stress.
• Harlem Tour – in the Bronx, including a gospel service – a wonderful experience, visiting one of Manhattan’s most authentic neighborhoods, with the chance to attend a gospel service (a must-try!)

These are just a few of the experiences that deserve a place on your itinerary, especially if this is your first time in New York City.
But don't stop at the attractions: experience the city in its most authentic corners as well - parks, markets, rooftops, live performances, hidden sights and the unique atmosphere of each neighborhood.

With so much to see and often high ticket prices, choosing a tourist pass can really make a difference.
It helps you save on admissions (as much as 50 percent) and allows you to build a richer, more flexible and personalized itinerary.

Each pass has a different rationale: some people want to make the most of each day, while others prefer more leisurely pace.
In this comprehensive guide to New York City passes, we break them down one by one to help you figure out which one best suits your travel style.

Why it pays to buy a New York City pass

Visiting New York through its major attractions and experiences can be expensive if you buy individual tickets for each attraction.
Just the list of major sights seen just now (which is a fairly limited list to be honest), would cost you very much.

The best way to make real savings is to choose one of these tourist cards.
For a fixed fee, you buy a card that gives you access to dozens (sometimes hundreds!) of attractions, avoiding the need to buy each admission separately, resulting in incredible savings compared to not using the pass.
Savings vary depending on the pass you choose and the number of activities you are able to do, but in a great many cases you can save more than 50 percent over full prices.

• What passes are available
• How they work and what they include
• What is the best solution for your trip
• How to get the best discounts

What are the passes to New York City?

If you are looking for a way to visit New York City while saving money on attractions, know that you have several options to choose from.
In fact, there are multiple types of passes, each with specific features designed to fit different travel styles and budgets.

To avoid confusion from the outset, here is a clear and up-to-date list of the major tourist cards available for the Big Apple:

• New York Pass
• Go CIty Pass All Inclusive
• Go City Explorer Pass
• CityPASS New York
• New York Essentials Pass

As you can see, there are several options.
They all have the same goal: to offer you access to major tourist attractions at a cheaper price than buying individual tickets.
But each does it differently.

The logic behind them varies: some passes allow you to visit an unlimited number of attractions in a defined time, others ask you to choose them in advance, with others you choose how much to see with the freedom to decide what at any given time.

Therefore, each solution suits a different style of travel.
If you are planning a packed itinerary, you will do well to lean toward one formula; if you prefer to see less but take your time, there is another more suitable.

The starting point is to understand what kind of trip you are planning: how many attractions you want to visit, in how many days, and at what pace.
Only then can you choose the most suitable option, the one that provides the best balance of savings, flexibility, and simplicity.

After some useful clarifications, we will address the analysis and review of each pass, leading to a clear and complete final comparison.

Do New York City Passes include public transport?

No, none of the New York City passes covered in this guide include public transportation.

You can pay for the subway and buses only via contactless payment, using your own card or a dedicated transit card, through the so-called OMNY system.
A weekly spending limit is automatically applied; once reached, you can travel unlimitedly across the entire New York City transit network.

I discuss this in detail toward the end of this guide, in the dedicated section, with all the necessary information.

New York Pass

The New York Pass is the name of the card more complete, rich and effective currently available to visit New York City saving.

Includes access to over 100 attractions, all included in the price: top attractions, tourist experiences, guided tours, services and utilities. Everything.
It is referred to as an all-inclusive pass, precisely because it includes virtually everything there is to do and see in New York City.

It is statistically the most purchased by those who decide to visit the city with an exploratory approach, when they want to see the many things the city has to offer while keeping costs affordable.

It works like this: you choose the duration of the pass - in versions of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 days validity, based on the length of your trip.
During its validity you can see all the attractions it includes. You can visit each attraction only once, and there is no limit of attractions to visit in one day.

How does the New York Pass work?

How the New York Pass works is very simple.
You have a catalog with over 100 attractions and experiences included.

Once you choose the duration, you can see as many attractions as you want, included in the catalog.

The pass is activated on your first visit to one of the included attractions, and from that moment you have the consecutive days you choose to visit anything you want.
The validity of the card is based on the entire calendar day, not a 24-hour period. So if you visit the first attraction in the afternoon while simultaneously activating the pass, the first day will expire at midnight of the same day, losing part of the first day.
Therefore, in case you arrive in the city in the afternoon or later, consider activating it on the next day so as not to waste a day of validity.

During the validity, you can visit all included attractions, only once each.

Benefits of the New York Pass

It is no coincidence that New York Pass is the statistically most chosen option for people visiting the Big Apple.
The main advantages are:

• a very large catalog of attractions included, hard to want to do or see something that is not included in this tool
• the savings: the more things you see, the greater the savings. As we will see in a moment, this pass saves huge amounts of money, compared to the same visit without the use of a pass.
• Reliability: it is best-selling, for many years. Therefore reliable even if purchased in advance, it will never give you any problems.

What to see with the New York Pass

It includes about 100 tourist attractions in New York City.

When we talk about tourist attractions, we mean not only the TOP tourist attractions most relevant to the city (those listed in the list at the beginning of this guide), but also a rich array of tourist experiences and services (such as bicycle rentals in the city)-no less important-to complement the tourist opportunities.
Remember that a good itinerary should be able to combine the iconic attractions with more special experiences, to grasp the city in 360 degrees.

Included are virtually all the main things to see in New York City, including the most famous and popular ones mentioned at the beginning of this guide.
But there are a number of other interesting experiences and tours to round out the card catalog, also included.

This great variety allows you to build an itinerary tailored to your (and the travel group's) tastes as much as possible, being able to really range in many ways.

At the following link you can browse all the attractions included, which will also help you discover new things to see (that you didn't know about and hadn't thought of) to squeeze into your itinerary.

>> Full list of New York Pass attractions

New York Pass Prices

The pass is valid for a specific number of days, ranging from 1 to 10 days (based on the average length of a vacation in New York).
Here are the prices for the New York Pass based on the number of days:

• DAY 1➜$169 Adult | $129 Child
• 2 DAYS➜$219 Adult | $189 Child
• 3 DAYS➜$269 Adult | $219 Child
• 4 DAYS➜$319 Adult | $249 Child
• 5 DAYS➜$359 Adult | $279 Child
• 6 DAYS➜$389 Adult | $299 Child
• 7 DAYS➜$399 Adult | $309 Child
• 10 DAYS ➜$429 per adult | $319 per child

A child is defined as 3 to 12 years old.

You can sometimes find discounts or special promotions on the official website, but even at these prices, I assure you the pass is worth it, considering how much NYC attractions cost.

Discount code for New York Pass

You can save an additional 5% on the price of the pass by using the discount code PTCODE5 in the “Enter promo code” field.

At certain times of the year, even better discount codes may be active.
Always on the official site look carefully at the top, usually when there are particular discount codes they are always highlighted already on the site itself.

New York Pass: Is It Worth It? Cost Analysis and Savings

Economically, yes, it's incredibly worthwhile.
To help you understand the extent of the savings, let's do a quick simulated calculation.

We start by considering the average price of New York tourist attractions to be about $40.
This is an average; the most expensive ones are around $60-$70, and the least expensive experiences around $20-$25.

Let’s take an average 6-day stay as an example, during which we’ll use the 6-day New York Pass.
With a packed but still relaxed itinerary, let’s assume we visit 3 attractions per day, for a total of 18 attractions: without the pass, I’d spend an average of $40 × 18 = $720.
By purchasing this 6-day pass—taking advantage of special offers and discount codes—I spend about $370 (adult).
The savings are easy to calculate: $720 - $370 = $350 saved per person, more than 50%.

The savings increase further if we choose the 7- or 10-day versions, and also in all cases where good planning, leads you to see more than 3 attractions per day (a very feasible case).

When is New York Pass recommended?

As explained in the introduction to this guide, in my opinion it is the New York Pass is always worthwhile for those who visit NYC and want to see as much as possible.

The convenience is not only economic, but also organizational and logistical.
With such a pass you can take the luxury of getting into some attractions quickly, to get a feel for it even without visiting it in depth, perhaps because you are only interested in one part of it (I'm thinking of a museum) or in general to be able to say you've seen it and been there.
It is included, you can do that. Without a pass that includes it at no extra cost, this approach would not be possible.

How is it purchased?

You can purchase the New York Pass online on the pass’s official website:
This way, you can take advantage of any promotional offers available only on the official website, and don’t forget to enter the discount code I provided above, which is reserved for readers of this site.

You pay by credit card or PayPal if you prefer, purchase is immediate, and shortly thereafter you will receive your passes in the e-mail box indicated during purchase.
The passes are NOT nominal, so you will not be asked for the names of those who will use them, only a purchase contact.
Be sure to enter your e-mail address correctly, double-check it several times as the passes will arrive there.

Once you receive them, you can also download the official New York Pass app, which is useful for storing passes inside, booking attractions, and getting up-to-date access information (addresses, times, modes) for each included attraction or experience.

Booking attractions with New York Pass

For about half of the catalog attractions included in the card, there is an advance reservation requirement.
These are the attractions with the highest tourist numbers, and all guided tours, which take place with a limited number of visitors, need reservations.

Go City-the provider of the pass-has provided a dedicated page (very clear) for you to book your entry without too much commitment.

>> Book admission to attractions with New York Pass

The advice to follow is: first try to arrive at a fairly definitive version of the itinerary, then reserve the attractions that require mandatory reservations.
For those, on the other hand, that are optional, in my opinion it is not advisable to reserve, because it would go to constrain your itinerary too much, taking away flexibility in case of unforeseen events (even simply weather conditions).
Consider the case well, but in general this can be a very good line to follow.

With New York Pass, do I skip the lines?

It depends. For booked attractions yes, you have your own entrance time, so at most some physiological slowdowns, but not major queues.
For the most popular free attractions, try to schedule them at the busiest times, such as early morning or around meal times, where there is usually less rush.

Several attractions have access lanes reserved for pass holders, regardless of reservation.
You can find this information in the app when you consult each attraction's information.

Validity and refunds

The New York Pass can be used within 1 year from the time of purchase. It is activated the moment you visit your first attraction.
Your consecutive days of validity start from that moment.

Any refund of the cost of the pass can be obtained up to 30 days after purchase, of course for passes that have not been activated.

GoCity All-Inclusive Pass New York

The New York All-Inclusive Pass of GoCity is a "somewhat unique" tourist card.

It is essentially an identical card to the New York Pass in every way.
In the attractions included, in the prices, in how it is purchased and used, in everything.
The only marginal exception is the fact that All Inclusive does not have a 6-day version, a prerogative of the New York Pass, but that is a detail.
Active discounts and offers, too, are usually of the same nature for both cards.

Upon close analysis, the All-Inclusive Pass and the New York Pass turn out to be two commercially identical products, both distributed by Go City. They offer the same catalog of attractions and similar operation. In fact, therefore, they are to be considered equivalent passes, although in the market New York Pass has a much longer and more established history, which all other things being equal leads me to prefer it over the newer (and non-innovative) All-Inclusive Pass.

So I will not describe it in detail; it would not make sense, as exactly the information you just read in the previous chapter applies.

When does it make sense to consider purchasing All-Inclusive Passes?

Generally speaking-being identical to the New York Pass-this All-Inclusive card is an excellent product, for all the reasons seen above.
So absolutely it makes all the sense in the world to be valued and purchased.

In the comparison, in my opinion we only need to check if there should be active cheaper offers for All-Inclusive than New York Pass.
In that case then there would be all the sense of buying All-Inclusive Pass to save more money due to a somewhat lower purchase price.

Discount code for All-Inclusive Pass

You can save an additional 5% on the All-Inclusive Pass by using the discount code PTCODE5 in the “Enter promo code” field in your shopping cart.
The 5% discount applies to already discounted prices, so it is added to any other promotions, for all daily pass validity periods.

At certain times of the year, even better discount codes may be active.
Always on the official site look carefully at the top, usually when there are particular discount codes they are always highlighted already on the site itself.

GoCity New York Explorer Pass

A first alternative to the New York Pass, also proposed by the same provider Go City, is the New York Explorer Pass.
The goal of this card is always savings: works differently than previous cards, however, and consequently the type of vacation where it is most suitable.

With Explorer Pass you have to decide how many attractions you want to visit.
So not the days of validity, but how many attractions I want to see.
The Explorer Pass is based on the amount of attractions you want to see: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10.

Because of this nature, it is suitable when you want to visit New York City with a more moderate itinerary (its largest option is 10), for reasons of tourist approach or time.
The catalog of available attractions to choose from is about the same rich as New York Pass, except for marginal nuances and not affecting the top attractions.

How does Explorer Pass work?

You choose how many attractions you want to see: from 2 to 10.
Without already having to decide which ones, just how many. Then you can choose which ones even during the trip, from those included in the attractions catalog of the pass.
Although, for itinerary reasons, you will probably identify them before you leave, but with the option to change whenever you want.

Activation of the pass occurs the moment you access the first attraction you choose.
From there on, you have up to 30 days to visit the remaining attractions included in your pass.

You do not need to use it on consecutive days: you can arrange visits whenever you like, within the 30-day validity period.
Maximum flexibility, then, to adapt the pass to your travel pace.
This aspect is also useful when your stay in NYC is interspersed with excursions outside NYC (such as Niagara Falls, Boston, Washington, Philadelphia, etc.), without losing days of card validity.

What attractions does it include?

The attractions catalog included in Explorer Pass--from which to choose your N attractions to visit--is the same catalog as the New York Pass (and All-Inclusive Pass), with a few very small, non-significant differences. So, basically, same catalog of top attractions in the city seen above.

New York Explorer Pass Prices

The prices are as follows:

• 2 attractions ➜ $89 Adult | $79 Child
• 3 attractions ➜ $119 per adult | $99 per child

• 4 attractions ➜ $149 per adult | $119 per child
• 5 attractions ➜ $179 per adult | $139 per child

• 6 attractions ➜ $204 per adult | $159 per child
• 7 attractions ➜ $229 per adult | $179 per child

• 10 attractions ➜ $299 per adult | $239 per child

A child is defined as 3 to 12 years old.

There may be promotions or special offers available on the official website. Check the current prices by clicking the button below.

Discount codes for Explorer Pass

You can get an extra 5% off the price. Just enter the promo code PTCODE5 — reserved for readers of this site — during checkout, in the “Enter promo code” field.

The discount will be applied immediately for additional savings on the total.

When is it worth it?

Let's start evaluating the convenience always from the economic side, where Explorer Pass is already worthwhile from its smallest versions, with visiting 3 attractions.

A practical simulation is also useful here to highlight the savings.
The average cost of an attraction in NYC is always averaged at $40. Average value, with the range ranging from $60/$70 for the most expensive, to $15/$20 for the most affordable.
With three attractions visited, we would pay about $120 in entrance fees. Although, choosing the most famous and expensive ones, we would spend far more.

The 3-Attraction Explorer Pass, when factoring in the actual price with the discount code, costs about $113.
That’s a modest but definite savings of about $7 per pass.

However, if we consider the 10-attraction option—which is undoubtedly the most common and practical choice for New York (7 or 10 attractions)—without a pass I would pay 10 × $40 = $400, whereas the 10-attraction Explorer Pass (at a discount) costs me about $284, saving me roughly $116 per person.
The rule is always the same: the more you see, the more you save. The savings potential of the Explorer Pass is therefore maximized with the larger packages, from 7 to 10 attractions.

For whom is the Explorer Pass recommended?

Evaluating the operation of this pass, I believe it can be an cost-effective choice in well-defined situations, such as these:

• When a light or selective itinerary is desired, with a maximum of 10 attractions, because of personal choice or limited time
• If you have visited New York before and want to focus only on what you miss, without repeating the main attractions
• In case the stay is very short (1, 2 or 3 full days) and there is no material time to see too many things and simultaneously grasp the essence of the city
• If you have already decided which attractions you want to visit (by 10 o'clock, anyway), and have calculated that you will be able to save significantly with this pass
• in general if you don't have a defined itinerary and no clear ideas about what to see, or conversely have well defined N number of attractions

📌 If, on the other hand, this is your first time in New York, and you have at least 4-5 full days to devote to visiting, with the intention of seeing as much as possible, the Explorer Pass is not the ideal choice.
In this case, it is better to opt for a New York Pass, which allows you to visit many more attractions, making the most of the available days.

Where to buy it

Explorer Pass is conveniently purchased online, before departure.
After purchase, you will receive the pass directly via email, in digital format with QR Code.

You'll be able to upload the pass to theofficial Go City app, so you'll always have it handy while traveling.
The app is not just for displaying the pass-it also includes all the useful information about each attraction, such as opening hours, reservation requirements, and meeting points for guided tours.

Booking attractions with Explorer Pass

As with the New York Pass, the Explorer Pass requires advance reservations for admission to about 50 attractions in the catalog.
These are mostly the most popular experiences-such as the scenic observatories, major museums, and especially all guided tours, for which you must reserve your spot.

To simplify the process, Go City provides a well-organized and easy-to-use reservation page where you can manage everything in just a few clicks after purchasing the pass.

>> Book admission to attractions with the New York Explorer Pass

Validity and refunds

Once purchased, Explorer Pass remains valid for 12 months-you can activate it at any time within one year from the date of purchase.
Activation occurs automatically the moment you access your first attraction. From then on, you will have 30 days to use the other attractions included in the pass, on days not necessarily consecutive.

Regarding reimbursement:

• Pass is refundable only if not activated, within 30 days of purchase
• After the 30 days have passed, you can no longer request a refund, but you can still use it within the 12 months or give it away or give it to someone else if you do not intend to use it yourself

CityPASS New York

CityPASS New York represents a special option compared to the other attraction passes for New York City analyzed so far.

It is designed for those planning a short stay in the city — a 2 or 3-day stopover — or for those who want to focus on just a few essential attractions, regardless of the length of their trip.

With this pass you can visit 5 attractions:

• 2 fixed and mandatory (Empire State Building and American Museum of Natural History)
• 3 to choose from a predefined list of options

This configuration, with a fixed number of (few) attractions that can be visited, confirms the minimalist vocation of CityPASS: it is suitable for those who are short on time and want a focused and concentrated tourist experience, while still having some customization on what to see.

Although the Explorer Pass, analyzed above, offers more flexibility and covers the same kind of need (with more freedom and more options), CityPASS can still be a viable alternative in specific situations, as we will see in its detailed analysis.

How does City Pass work?

CityPass New York is a 5-attraction tourist card, "built" in the following way: 2 fixed attractions + 3 attractions of my choice from a list of 6 (no need to choose which ones right away, I can do that on the spot).
From the time it activates, with the visit to the first attraction, I have 9 days to visit all the others included in the pass.

What CityPASS for New York includes

The 2 fixed attractions are as follows:

• Empire State Building Panorama Observatory (with 2nd free evening access)
• American Museum of Natural History

These are fixed and cannot be changed.

While the other 3 can be chosen from the following list of options:

• Top Of The Rock Panoramic Observatory
• September 11 museum and memorial
• Excursion to Statue of Liberty + Ellis Island
• A Circle Line boat cruise
• Intrepid Museum
• Guggenheim Museum

This choice allows the orientation of this tourist card to be flexed according to the characteristics and desires of the travel group.
Some are more oriented to those traveling with children and teens (Intrepid, observers, cruise), others to those who want to delve more deeply into the city's museums and history.

As you can see, from the many things you can do and see in NYC that we have learned in previous reviews, in each case CityPASS is an essential card, limited to a small selection of New York City tourist attractions.

How much does it cost?

The CityPASS has the following standard prices:

• $166 for an adult pass
  calculated as $164 for the pass + $2 purchase fee
• $138 per child (ages 6–17)
  calculated as $136 for the pass+ $2 purchase fee

Typically, CityPASS is never discounted, and no discount codes are available.

When is it worth it?

Financially, this pass is a good deal and saves you about 40% compared to visiting the same attractions without a pass.
Since there are no different package options, the savings are fairly straightforward, although they vary slightly depending on the three attractions you choose.
I won’t repeat the calculation here as I did for other tourist cards, since you can find the simulation on the pass’s official page at the following link:

When is New York CityPASS worthwhile?

Basically when you want no more than 5 attractions on your itinerary that you can visit, and the CityPASS catalog meets your requirements.
5 attractions-in the New York context-are very few, and we are usually in the cases of short stays, perhaps when New York is a stop on a larger trip, among the great cities of the United States of America.

Go City's Explorer Pass-always from 5 attractions- in my opinion fulfills this purpose much better, leaving you with much more choice, and without tying up 2 attractions.
The American Museum of Natural History is compulsorily included in CityPASS, but it is not among the most popular attractions in New York (despite being in absolute value highly visited).
Since Explorer Pass for its benefits costs a little more than CityPASS (less than $20), the latter still makes sense when it covers just the 5 attractions you planned to see.

Booking attractions with CityPASS

With CityPASS, it is mandatory to book some attractions (there are 5) and 2 others optionally.
It is conveniently done through the CityPASS app, once the card is purchased.

On the official website page, it is clearly stated how to do it and which attractions require reservations.
Look for the "Reservations and Scheduling" section at the bottom, after the prices.

Where to buy it

CityPASS New York is purchased exclusively online, on the official card website, at the following address.

Validity and refunds

Once activated, CityPASS New York is valid for 9 consecutive days, starting the day you visit the first attraction included in the pass.
From the time of purchase, you have up to 12 months to start using the pass.

CityPASS is redeemable within 1 year, provided it has not been activated and there are no active reservations tied to the pass.

New York Pass Essentials

Pass Essentials is a recent addition to the range of tourist cards for New York City.
It is good to state at the outset that it is a very limited solution, as includes visits to only 3 attractions, albeit customizable as we will see shortly.

For a typical tourist trip through European countries, this card is objectively too limited; it’s only worthwhile for very short itineraries, which are usually the exception rather than the rule.

I see it more as a pass for domestic travelers, who perhaps visit NYC on weekends or on short trips, or back home, and focus their visit to only 3 attractions, spending the rest of their time on other aspects of the city.

How does it work?

Pass Essentials is modular, following the 1+2 rule.
The first attraction is chosen from the city's 4 most important scenic observatories (excluding Summit One Vanderbilt which is not currently included in any pass).
The second from a selection of 9 of the most relevant museums and tourist attractions in New York City, as per the following image:

The list of attractions that can be visited with in Pass Essentials: 1 from the list in blue + 2 from the list in yellow. Click on the image to see the list on the official website.

You do not have to choose what to see at the time of purchase, but directly during the trip. The important thing is that your choice respects the 1+2 rule described.
The card is activated upon visiting the first attraction, and then you have a full 30 days to visit the other two.
The available attractions may change over time, of invite you to check them on the official website.

Pass Essentials prices

There are no different variants or versions for this product-a single formula with its own price.

• Single-day pass for 3 attractions: $99 per adult, $79 per child

Discount codes for Essentials Pass

You can enjoy an additional 5% off the price for both adults and children with the discount code PTCODE5 (dedicated to readers of this site), to be used during purchase in the appropriate field.

Pass Essentials: is it worth it?

Financially, yes, despite its main limitation of only three attractions.
The savings vary depending on which attractions you choose to include in the pass, since the prices of individual tickets for those attractions differ (some cost more than others).

I did a simulation of all possible combinations, and Essentials Pass always pays off.
In the best cases the savings also reach about $40-$45, in case you choose the least expensive attractions you save about $15.

When to choose pass Essentials?

As anticipated in the introduction, a 3-attraction card is usually too limited for those visiting a city like New York City for a classic exploratory sightseeing trip.
Objectively, only 3 attractions is too few.

It is a card that may have utility in special cases:

• you have a long layover in New York (like a full day) and you want to use it to sample 3 of the city's top attractions
• NYC is a stopover of a larger trip to the U.S., with a short stay, justifying wanting to see only 3 things
• in all cases in which you travel with the specific desire to have a very reduced itinerary, for reasons of time or tourist approach (usually rare case)
• live in the States and take a short trip to NYC, like a weekend/long weekend

How to purchase the card

Pass Essentials is purchased online at the official website of the GoCity provider.

Once you’ve purchased your pass, you’ll receive your Essentials Passes via email in digital format—a QR code that you can show directly at the attractions you’ve chosen to visit.
For your convenience, you can download the official GoCity app, where you can load your passes and find useful information about the included attractions, as well as any required booking procedures.

Booking attractions with Essentials Pass

Some of the attractions included in the card catalog - from which you will make your choice - have advance reservation requirements.
These are the most popular and high-tourist attractions, to ensure that you will not find major queues during your visit.
Which in a compact itinerary is usually an advantage from an organizational point of view.

On the official pass website you have a page dedicated to booking attractions with Essentials Pass, where you can find clear and neat directions.

Validity and refunds

Pass Essentials is valid for one year from the date of purchase.
So it can also be purchased in advance of departure to take advantage of any promos or to plan your travel schedule accordingly.
Once activated at the same time as visiting the first of the 3 included attractions, you have 30 days to complete the other 2 visits.

The card can be fully refunded, upon request, within 30 days of purchase as long as it has not been activated.

Comparison of passes for New York City

We quickly compare the solutions reviewed in this guide in the following table:

Pass comparison for NEW YORK

	How it works	Number of attractions included	Is it worth it?	Our Rating	Direct link for purchase
NEW YORK PASS	I choose the validity days, I see whatever I want.	About 110, including museums, attractions, tours, experiences and services.	Yes, pretty much all the time, and quite a lot Suitable for medium to long vacations Where you want to see lots of things and have experiences	★★★★★	Buy New York Pass Now
EXPLORER PASS	I choose the number of attractions first (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10) During the vacation I choose which ones.	About 110, including museums, attractions, tours, experiences and services.	Yes, from the third attraction seen. The largest savings in the 7- and 10-attraction versions. Suitable for short/medium vacations, and/or with an intentionally moderate itinerary (max. 10 attractions)	★★★★☆	Buy the New York Explorer Pass Now
CITYPASS	I see 5 of New York's most popular and diverse attractions.	Five, 2 fixed + 3 to be chosen from a list of 6 different options	Yes, it absolutely pays off compared to visiting without a pass. To be evaluated against Explorer Pass as explained in the guide. Suitable for quick getaways, with a maximum of 5 attractions to visit	★★★☆☆	Buy CityPASS New York now
PASS ESSENTIALS	Visit only 3 NYC attractions, "essential" card as the name suggests.	3, according to the 1+2 rule. 1 panoramic observatory + 2 of your choice from list of 9 alternatives	Yes, economically worthwhile in all cases compared to buying individual tickets for the 3 chosen attractions. Very limiting card for an exploratory sightseeing trip. Makes sense in passing stops (max 1-2 days) or when for other reasons you want to see max 3 attractions.	★★☆☆☆	Buy the Essentials Pass now

* I have not included the All-Inclusive Pass in this table, so as not to duplicate information. The considerations made for New York Pass apply to it, as they are identical.

Which New York City pass is worth choosing?

In this guide we have looked in detail at the major New York City tourist passes available, with the aim of helping you save money on New York attractions and experience the city at its best.

Each pass has different characteristics and is more or less suitable depending on the type of trip you are planning.
There isno absolute best pass, but there is one that is best suited to your needs-whether you are planning an intense vacation full of stops, or a short stay with just a few selected attractions.

To make the right choice, the advice is to start with yourself: think about how many days you have available, what kind of pace you want to keep, and what attractions you really want to see.

Even a simple outline itinerary-you don't need it to be perfect in detail-will help you figure out how many and what experiences you want to include.
At that point, it will be much easier to identify the pass that gives you the best balance of savings, flexibility, and convenience.

In general:

• If this is your first trip to NYC and you want to see as much as possible (with 5-10 days to spare), then the New York Pass is almost always the winning choice.
  It is objectively the best pass available-rich, comprehensive, with all attractions included in the price.
• If, on the other hand, you have a more specific itinerary in mind (up to 10 attractions) or have already visited the city, the New York Explorer Pass offers the flexibility you’re looking for.
  When I want to see fewer sights—whether by preference, due to time constraints, or because I’ve already seen NYC before—while still saving a significant amount of money.
  
• If, on the other hand, you are on a short trip (1-3 days) and want to get a taste of the city with 5 specific attractions, then the CityPASS New York is the most practical solution.
  You save a lot, but only on 5 attractions, with a somewhat limited choice of which ones to see.

This is a concise but concrete interpretation on choosing the best pass for New York, according to your type of vacation.
To understand the details, I recommend that you read this guide well, studying the mechanisms of each individual pass.

With the information in this guide, you have everything you need to do so while saving money and hassle-free.

Buying a children's pass: does it really pay off?

Yes, in most cases it is worthwhile to purchase a pass for children as well, because many paid attractions in New York City have significant costs even for young children-though reduced from the adult price.
However, it is important to know that each pass sets a minimum age for the child fee, based on the terms of the attractions included:

- For the New York Pass, the child age starts at age 3.
👉 If your child is under 3 years old, you don't need to buy a pass: most attractions let them in for free or for a nominal fee, either way cheaper than the pass.

- For Go City passes (Explorer Pass, All-Inclusive, Essentials Pass), the child age always starts from 3 years old.
👉 As above, if you have children under the age of 3, he will enter the attractions for free or at very reduced rates, so much so that the convenience of the pass will be lost for him.

- For the CityPASS New York, the child range is from 6 to 17 years old.
👉 Under 6 years old, it is not worth buying it, because the included attractions have better conditions without a pass.

In summary: always assess the age of the child and compare it with the conditions of the attractions you want to see.
You should always find yourself in the situation where it is not worth taking the pass if the child is below the child age stipulated by the pass.

New York City public transport passes and cards.

As mentioned earlier, none of the New York tourist passes reviewed in this guide —and, in general, no pass on the market— includes the city’s public transportation.
Some passes include the Hop-On Hop-Off sightseeing bus, which is useful for getting between tourist attractions, but it is no substitute for actual public transportation.

Below, we’ll look at how to pay for the subway and buses and what types of tickets are available.

What means fall under public transport?

We are talking about the network operated by MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority), which includes:

• The New York City subway (operating 24 hours a day)
• Regular buses serving Manhattan and the other boroughs (Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx)

⚠️ Suburban trains (e.g., NJ Transit, LIRR, Metro-North) are not part of city transport and require separate tickets.
You will use them only in special cases, such as out-of-town excursions or if you are staying very far from Manhattan (e.g., in some areas of New Jersey).

OMNY: the contactless system

As of January 1, 2026, the Metrocard, New York’s iconic transit pass, will no longer exist.

Payment for and use of the subway in NYC is handled through the OMNY system, which allows you to pay for each ride using a contactless card, including via smartphone or smartwatch.

The logic is simple:

• Each ride costs $3 and is charged directly to your card.
• Once you’ve taken 12 rides within 7 days, the “Fare Cap” (weekly spending limit) is automatically triggered
• From then on, you will pay nothing more until the end of the 7 days, calculated from the first run made

📌 Please note: if you are traveling in a group, each member must have their own credit card.

Where to activate OMNY

The OMNY system activates the first time you use it, as soon as you arrive in New York, simply by tapping your credit card (or smartphone linked to a credit card) on the reader. You don’t need to download any apps, and there’s nothing special you need to do.

We recommend setting up a credit card for this purpose before you leave—perhaps by adding it to your smartphone’s digital wallet—so you can get things done quickly and efficiently as soon as you arrive in NYC.

Do children have to pay for public transportation?

Children shorter than 111 cm ride the subway for free; in this case, they do not need tickets or anything else.
On buses, however, up to three children may ride with each paying adult, provided they are no taller than 110 cm.

In summary: New York City tour passes allow you to save money, simplify organization, and experience more of the city.
Choosing the right pass means tailoring it to your itinerary-this guide is here to help you do that without mistakes.