If you want to find out more about the CityPASS for New York, you’ve come to the right place.
We’ll show you how to use the CityPASS, which attractions are included, and which are not. We also go into all the advantages and disadvantages.
At the end, we answer the most common questions and share our experiences with the CityPASS with you.
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💡 How does the CityPASS work?
The New York CityPASS is a discount pass for the most famous attractions in New York. You pay a fixed price and can use it to visit five attractions.
While many New York passes are available in different versions and with many attractions, the New York CityPASS is simpler. There is only one version of the pass.
With the CityPASS you can visit a total of five attractions.
- Top of the Rock Observation Deck
- Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ferry
- 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
- Intrepid Museum
- Guggenheim Museum
Once you have purchased your CityPASS, you will receive it as a digital ticket directly on your smartphone.
When you are in New York, simply show your CityPASS on your mobile phone at the ticket counters of the attractions you want to visit. Your pass becomes active the first time you use it, and you can explore the attractions you have selected within the next nine days.
Please note: Advance booking is required for almost all attractions. Information on which attractions require this can be found on the relevant information page.
🗽 Which attractions are included?
The New York CityPASS has focussed on the most important sights. There are over eight attractions to choose from.
We will introduce you to the best ones in the following sections. This will give you a good overview of the attractions included:
🌃 Viewing platforms
One of the most popular sights in New York is the viewing platforms. The view of the city from the top is very impressive both during the day and at night. You can visit two of them with the CityPASS:
- Empire State Building (normal admission price: 48 dollars)
- Top of the Rock (normal admission price: 44 dollars)
A reservation is required for the Empire State Building. You can do this via the Sightseeing Pass reservation page. You will receive the link after purchasing the pass.
The CityPASS includes the day and night ticket for the Empire State Building. This allows you to visit it once during the day and once at night on the same calendar day. This allows you to see New York from above in daylight and at night.
You do not need to book a timed ticket for the Top of The Rock. If you would like to visit the viewing platform from Rockefeller Center, simply go to the entrance. You will usually be allocated a time slot within 15 minutes to four hours. However, it is also possible that all tickets are fully booked. In this case, try again later.
The remaining viewing platforms, Edge at Hudson Yards, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, which opened in 2022, and One World Observatory, are not included in the CityPASS.
Our tip: If you want to cover these with one of the New York City Passes, take a look at the New York Pass, the Explorer Pass, the Sightseeing DAY Pass, or the Sightseeing FLEX Pass.
Please note: The Empire State Building is one of the two attractions that are pre-selected.
🖼️ Museums with the CityPASS
The CityPASS has a focus on museums, so four of its eight attractions are well-known representatives:
These museums are included:
- 9/11 Memorial & Museum (regular price: $30)
- American Museum of Natural History (regular price: $28)
- Intrepid Sea, Air, & Space Museum (regular price: $33)
- Guggenheim Museum (regular price: $30)
Note: The American Museum of Natural History is one of the two attractions that are pre-selected.
🚢 Boat trips
Two boat tours are included in the New York CityPASS: the ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island and a boat trip with the Circle Line provider.
There are three different Circle Line boat tours to choose from: the 1.5-hour Landmarks Cruise, the express ferry to the Statue of Liberty, and the Liberty Midtown Cruise. You can choose one of these three.
You need a reservation for all boat trips.
Our tip: For an additional 10 US dollars, you have the option of upgrading your ticket directly on-site to the evening harbor cruise or to the more comprehensive “Best of NYC” tour, which lasts around 2.5 hours.
🎡 Sightseeing with the CityPASS
Apart from the viewing platforms, museums, and boat tours, no other sights are included in the CityPASS New York.
🚌 Sightseeing tours
The New York CityPASS does not include any sightseeing tours or bus tours.
🕺 Walking tours
This also applies to the walking tours.
📅 Reservations
You do not need an additional reservation at the Guggenheim Museum and the Top of The Rock. A timed ticket is required for all other sights.
The best way to do this is via the CityPASS.com website or the CityPASS app. After purchase, you will receive a link to this page.
If you are visiting the Empire State Building, you only need a timed ticket for the first visit. This is not the case in the evening. Simply show your CityPASS at the ticket counter.
If there are no appointments available on your preferred date, try another day.
Our tip: To change your reservation date, you must cancel your current booking at least one day before the planned date of your visit. You can then make a new reservation. Please note that reservations made on the day itself or for dates that have already passed cannot be canceled or refunded.
Important: If you want to visit different attractions with your travel group or take advantage of the same offers at different times, it is advisable to book separately for everyone! The reservation is valid for all tickets ordered together.
If you do not yet have any firm plans, you can still purchase tickets. If you decide to split up later, please contact CityPASS customer service beforehand.
🫰How much does the CityPASS cost?
The New York CityPASS costs 138 dollars for adults; the pass for children costs 118 dollars.
The age limit for children is 6 to 17 years.
The purchase is risk-free. You can return the CityPASS free of charge up to 365 days after purchase and receive a refund. However, you must not have used the pass before. Furthermore, all reservations made at the attractions must have been canceled. You can also do this via the CityPASS reservation page or in the CityPASS app.
💻 Does the CityPASS pay for itself?
The CityPASS pays off the most when you visit the high-priced attractions. In the best case, you save almost 46%.
The attractions marked with an asterisk (*) must be visited.
Attractions | Price without CityPASS |
Empire State Building (Day & Night)* | $74 |
American Museum of Natural History* | $28 |
Top of the Rock | $44 |
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum | $33 |
Circle Line Landmarks Cruise | $41 |
YOUR SAVINGS | |
Costs without CityPASS: | $220 |
Price CityPASS: | $118 |
SAVINGS: | $102 per person (46%) |
If you choose the cheapest attractions, you will still save 37%.
Attractions | Price without CityPASS |
Empire State Building (Day & Night)* | $74 |
American Museum of Natural History* | $28 |
Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Ferry | $25 |
Guggenheim Museum | $30 |
9/11 Memorial & Museum | $30 |
YOUR SAVINGS | |
Costs without CityPASS: | $187 |
Price CityPASS: | $118 |
SAVINGS: | $69 per person (37%) |
📲 Purchase, download, and free app
When purchasing, you do not have to decide which attractions you want to visit.
After purchasing the CityPASS, you will receive an email containing QR codes for each person listed in the order. At the top of this email, you will find a red link labeled “Make reservations,” which allows you to make all the necessary reservations for the attractions.
You can then choose to either save the passes and print them out or use the app from CityPASS, which is free of charge. A third option is to save the passes directly in your pre-installed smartphone wallet app.
The passes are not yet activated when you download them. We explain when and how they are activated in the following section.
🚀 Activation of the CityPASS in New York
The CityPASS is activated the first time you use it. As soon as you show your CityPASS at an attraction in New York for the first time and it is scanned, the pass is activated. This happens automatically without any additional effort on your part.
Once activated, you then have nine days to visit the sights in New York.
🚨 Disadvantages
Obwohl der CityPASS einige Vorteile bietet, möchten wir Ihnen die Nachteile nicht vorenthalten.
- Small selection: Compared to the other passes, the CityPASS offers the smallest selection of attractions. Furthermore, it does not include city tours, guided tours, or bike hire.
- Missing attractions: Some of the most popular attractions, such as Summit One Vanderbilt, The Edge, and One World Observatory, are not included in the CityPASS.
- Reservations: You will need an additional reservation for almost all attractions.
- No fast track entry: There are separate entrances for pass holders, but no special fast lane tickets that skip all queues.
- Limit: You can visit a maximum of five attractions with the CityPASS.
- Complicated: The selection of attractions is a little cumbersome. Two attractions are fixed, then you can choose one of three Circle Line boat tours, and three of the remaining six. This is much easier with the other New York Passes.
- Not flexible: You can’t spontaneously visit other attractions because there are only a few to choose from.
👉 New York CityPASS alternatives
There are several very good alternatives to the CityPASS that work similarly. The Explorer Pass from Go City and the FLEX Pass from the provider Sightseeingpass offer a much larger selection with over 90 attractions.
The best way to see this is in our New York Pass comparison, in which we have compared the passes
We have put together more details in the comparison of the New York Pass vs CityPASS.
🔎 Conclusion: Who is the pass suitable for?
The CityPASS is suitable for all visitors who want to visit precisely the specified attractions. Savings of up to 40% are then possible.
However, if you have other attractions on your itinerary, it is worth taking a look at the alternatives to the CityPASS.
☝️FAQ
When will you receive your CityPASS?
Once you have purchased the CityPASS, you will receive an email. This email contains QR codes for each person listed in the order.
Can I visit the same attraction more than once?
It depends. The Empire State Building can be visited twice in one calendar day with the CityPASS, once during the day and once at night. Every other attraction can be visited exactly once.
Is public transport included in the CityPASS?
The Metrocard for the subway and buses are not included in the CityPASS. This applies not only to the CityPASS but to all sightseeing passes in the city.
How long is the CityPASS valid for?
The CityPASS is valid for nine days after the first use at the first attraction. This gives you plenty of time to experience the sights of NYC.
What is the cancellation policy for the CityPASS?
You can cancel the CityPASS free of charge within 365 days of purchase. It must not yet be activated. You must also have canceled any reservations you have already made at the attractions.
