Public Transport Pet Policy New York City

Our definitive guide covers the Pet Policy for ALL the main transport systems serving New York:

Subway
Bus
PATH Trains
LIRR (Long Island Rail Road)
MNR (Metro-North Railroad)
Fire Island ferry
Staten Island Ferry
NJ Transit
AirTrain JFK
Seastreak Ferry
Amtrak
Uber and Lyft
Dog / Pet Taxi services

Subway & Bus service (operated by MTA - Metropolitan Transportation Authority)

Subway operation (see map of full Subway system below):

Operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Does not go to Staten Island. To get there, board the free Staten Island Ferry or take a bus.
Accessible to passengers with visual, hearing and mobility disabilities.
Full list of accessible stations across all MTA services available here:
http://web.mta.info/accessibility/stations.htm

“No person may bring any animal, on or into any conveyance or facility unless enclosed in a container and carried in a manner which would not annoy other passengers.”

(Working / service dogs excepted, including those in training. Proof may be required.)

The rule does not specify any limits in terms of size or weight, or any definition or specification in terms of the container, and as you would expect, New York dog lovers were pretty inventive in applying the rule!

Note: The MTA Customer Service FAQ section seems to be a bit more restrictive in terms of possible size limitations. This states:

“Small domestic pets are permitted on the subway and on buses of New York City Transit and MTA Bus only when they are carried in kennels or similar containers that can by accommodated by you on your lap without annoyance to other passengers. No part of the animal may protrude from the container and pets should not occupy seats (emphasis added). Service animals properly harnessed and accompanying people with disabilities are always welcome in MTA's network.”

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PATH Trains (Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corporation):

PATH is a rapid transit system serving Newark, Harrison, Hoboken, and Jersey City in metropolitan northern New Jersey, as well as lower and midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is the primary transit link between NYC & NJ.

Similarly to the Subway, the PATH Pet Policy llows dogs in carriers on PATH trains:

“Unconfined animals except seeing eye dogs or other assistance animal are prohibited. May I bring my service dog or pet through the Port Authority bus terminal?

Service animals—any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability—are permitted to accompany the individual with a disability to all areas of the facility where customers are normally allowed to go.

You may bring your pet through the bus terminal in a secure carrying case.”

LIRR - Long Island Railroad

The LIRR service goes from Montauk — on the eastern tip of Long Island— to Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan.

According to MTA Customer Help FAQs:

“Can I bring my pet on the Long Island Rail Road?

Small domestic pets are permitted provided they are carried in kennels or similar containers that can be accommodated by you on your lap without annoyance to other passengers. No part of the animal may protrude from the container and pets should not occupy seats. Service animals properly harnessed and accompanying people with disabilities are always welcome in MTA's network.”

On another part of the site, Section 1097.10 states: “Please do not: Travel with any animal except a seeing eye or hearing dog, or an animal properly confined for shipment. Animals barred from terminal: No person except a police officer or another person authorized by LIRR shall enter in a terminal, station or train with any animal except a seeing eye or hearing ear dog or an animal properly confined for shipment.”

Note: The wording “except a seeing eye or hearing ear dog” is deemed to exclude therapy animals or animals used for emotional support (as not meeting the ADA definition of a service animal).

Metro-North Railroad (MNR)

“Small domestic pets are permitted provided they're carried in kennels or similar containers, or are securely controlled on leashes throughout the trip and do not annoy other customers. Pets should not occupy seats and are subject to approval by the conductor. Service animals properly harnessed and accompanying people with disabilities are always welcome in MTA's network.”

Fire Island Ferry

According to the Fire Island Ferry website FAQ:

“Are dogs allowed on the ferry and beach? Yes, as long as they are properly leashed aboard the ferries.”

Staten Island Ferry

“Pets, other than service animals as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, are not allowed in the facilities and/or onboard the ferry boats, unless they are caged and/or muzzled.”

NJ Transit

The NJ Transit website FAQ states:

“Only service animals accompanying customers with disabilities or their trainers, police dogs, and small pets in carry-on travel cages are allowed on-board NJ TRANSIT trains or buses.”

AirTrain JFK

AirTrain connects with MTA New York City Transit subways (MTA Subways) and buses and LIRR (Long Island Rail Road) 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Small domestic animals in secure carriers (We recommend that you check with NYC Transit or Long Island Rail Road regarding their policies.)

Seastreak Ferry

Seastreak passenger ferry serves Manhattan, central New Jersey, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and more.

Dogs (of all sizes) and cats are allowed onboard many routes but must be kept on the outdoor decks with a leash. Small dogs in a carrier can be brought inside the vessel.

Pets are not permitted on any Special Event trip or the NJ/NYC service to Martha’s Vineyard/Nantucket.

Amtrak

Small dogs and cats are welcome “aboard the Northeast Regional and nine other regional routes: Amtrak Cascades, Downeaster, Hiawatha Service, Illinois services, Michigan Services, Missouri River Runner and Springfield Shuttles. But wait, that’s not all! If you are looking to explore one of the more than 500 destinations our cross country trains serve with Fido or Whiskers, you’re in luck. Our pets on trains policy now includes coach service on all cross country routes excluding the Auto Train.

For the comfort of your pet, there are a few things you need to know before booking your next trip with your pet:

You must book your ticket by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL or at an Amtrak ticket counter
Pet parents will be charged $25 to travel with their furry friends
Pets in carriers must weigh 20 pounds or less
Pets must be placed under pet parent’s seat at all time during trip
Trips with pets may not exceed seven hours in length

As we look for ways to further expand the pets on trains program, we are excited to announce that pets are now allowed on Acela Express service on the weekends and holidays.”

Uber

“In accordance with local and federal laws in your area, service animals are permitted to accompany riders at all times.

If you're planning to ride with a non-service pet, it's good practice to contact the driver who accepts your ride request. Use your app to send a text message or call to let the driver know you'd like to bring a pet.

Please help drivers keep vehicles clean for all riders by bringing a crate or blanket to reduce the risk of damage or mess. Some drivers may keep a blanket in the trunk.”

Lyft

“Pet Policy (Non-Service Animals)

Although drivers aren't allowed to bring their own own furry friends along for the ride when driving (after all, some passengers have allergies or are otherwise uncomfortable with unfamiliar animals), some passengers will ask to bring their pets along with them when requesting a ride. Unless the passenger has a service animal, it's entirely up to the driver whether or not to allow the passenger’s pet in the vehicle.

We advise passengers to call their drivers after their ride request is accepted to confirm that it's OK to bring their pets.

As a driver, if you're comfortable with it, passengers love it when you go the extra mile, so feel free! But if you'd prefer to not have their pet (that is, a non-service animal) in your car for any reason, be friendly and politely ask the passenger to cancel the ride. If they're charged a fee, they can reach out to us by tapping 'Contact Support' below and we'll take care of it.”

Pet Taxi Services

Pet Chauffeur : 212-696-9744

Monday-Friday 7:30am-7:30pm, Saturday 8:00am-6:30pm, Sunday: 10:00am-7:00pm

K9 Cars Private Pet Taxi 7AM-7PM: 718-683-2152”