NYC Council Votes to Phase Out Central Park Horse Carriages by June 2028: What Riders Need to Know
The Council passed the phase-out bill on October 22. It awaits the mayor's signature, and the carriages still run.
On October 22 the New York City Council passed Romanch's Law, with 40 of its 51 members voting in favor. As of October 24 the bill awaited the mayor's signature. It would stop the city from issuing licenses for carriage horses, carriages and drivers from June 1, 2028, and licenses active now expire on May 31, 2028. The bill carries the name of Romanch Mahajan, the 18-year-old rider killed in June when he was thrown from a runaway carriage in Central Park. Rides remain available for now under current operating rules, and the loop described here is the one sold today.
New York licenses this trade on three separate counts: the horse, the carriage, and the driver. That structure gives the ride a fixed shape, one carriage, one driver, one stated duration. The listing below is the private loop, sold by the carriage rather than by the seat. Four adults share one fare, and the operator states that its drivers hold licenses authorized by the city.
NYC Central Park Horse Carriage Ride (Up to 4 Adults)Private carriage, 40 to 45 minutes, priced per carriage for up to four adults.www.viator.comWhat the 45 Minutes Covers
About 2.5 miles pass in 40 to 45 minutes. The operator lists ten stops: the General José de San Martín monument at the entrance, Wollman Rink, the Central Park Carousel, the Balto statue, the Women's Rights Pioneers Monument, Bethesda Fountain, Tavern on the Green, Bow Bridge, Columbus Circle and the Central Park Boathouse. Its description also names Cherry Hill, the hill where Cherry Hill Fountain sits, among the views along the way. The driver takes the photographs, and they are part of the fare.
Where the Carriage Waits
Enter the park at 6th Avenue and 59th Street and look for the carriage in front of the José Julián Martí statue, on the right side of the entrance. The F train stops at 57 St, south of the entrance, and the walk north takes about three minutes. The N, R and W stop at 5 Av/59 St, one avenue east, and the walk west takes about six minutes. The loop starts and finishes at the same corner. Arrive a few minutes early, and the carriage leaves at the booked time.
How the Fare Works
New York caps the rate for a licensed carriage at 72.22 US dollars for the first 20 minutes or part of it, then 28.89 for each additional 10 minutes, charged per trip rather than per person (NYC Code section 20-380). Forty minutes on that schedule comes to 130 dollars, and 45 minutes reaches 158.89 if the final five minutes count as a full 10-minute block. The Viator listing sells this ride as a private 40 to 45 minute tour at 225 US dollars per carriage when checked on October 24, 2026, which sits above that schedule. That price is the operator's, and the posted rate sign in the cab is the one to check on the day. The listing's own inclusions are taxes, fees and handling charges, a licensed driver, an optional roof for rain or sun, winter blankets, photographs taken by the driver, treats for the horses and live customer service; gratuities are extra. Departures are booked hourly, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Prices move with the date, and not every hourly slot opens on every day.
The Dates That End It
May 31, 2028 is the last day current licenses would stay valid, and from June 1, 2028 the bill would stop the city from issuing new ones. It would also require horse owners to certify to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene by June 1, 2027 that no horse will be sold for slaughter or moved into another carriage business. If signed, the dates would hold, and the trade would have nineteen months from the vote.
This listing's own terms are free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure, with no refund inside that window, and a different date or full refund if the operator cancels for poor weather. It also notes wheelchair and stroller access, service animals allowed, and infants on an adult's lap. Book the carriage first, then read the confirmation for the boarding instruction.