Traveling with a pet on New York transit

The MTA's current rules for pets on New York City subways and buses, the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North, checked in October 2026.

A person sits beside a tabby cat in a carrier while preparing for a train journey. — Getting ready to travel with a cat and its carrier.

Written from the sources below on 4 October 2026. How we use sources.

These are the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's pet rules for New York City and Long Island, from its current pets guide.

Subway and bus: a pet must be in a bag or other container, carried in a way that does not annoy other riders.
Long Island Rail Road: a container that fits on your lap, carried so it does not annoy other riders.
Metro-North Railroad: a kennel or similar container, or the pet securely controlled on a leash for the whole trip, and not offensive to other riders.
Service animals follow separate rules. The MTA has its own page for them.

Other cities and other carriers have different rules. Check with the carrier before you go. If you may need to move with a pet in an emergency, see Pet disaster planning.

Sources

The former site copied the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's pet rules in 2012. Rules change, so this page was rewritten from the MTA's current pets guide, opened on 4 October 2026.