NY'ers: do you buy a subway card for your young kid?

[Anonymous]

I lived in NYC for over a decade in my 20s. We now live in DC and have a young kid.

What's the rule for using the subway with a kid in a stroller? Do I need to buy a subway card for them?

When I was living in NYC, I vaguely remember parents swiping their own subway card and then letting in their gaggle of kids through the gate without paying. I have no idea if this was legit, but no one seemed to care about kids paying.

[Anonymous]

No need to pay for a kid in a stroller. Put the kid in front of the emergency gate, you swipe through at a turnstile, open the gate, pull your kid through. Once they’re old enough, they go under the turnstile. Then around 8 or so you pay for them. It’s pretty fuzzy as to when you actually start paying for them.

[Anonymous]

MTA says kids under 44" don't have to pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No need to pay for a kid in a stroller. Put the kid in front of the emergency gate, you swipe through at a turnstile, open the gate, pull your kid through. Once they’re old enough, they go under the turnstile. Then around 8 or so you pay for them. It’s pretty fuzzy as to when you actually start paying for them.

44 inches, technically...there is a sign in stations with a measuring line like they have at Disney rides