Best Travel Strollers for City Families: Lightweight Picks for Subways, Stairs and Suitcases

Another must for the registry is a travel stroller, for family adventures, subway stairs and taxi rides, and our favorites span the space from super small and minimalist to fully-loaded, including the Joolz Aer2, Bugaboo Butterfly 2 Plus, Silver Cross Nia, UPPABaby Minu V3, Cybex Coya, Cybex Libelle, and Stokke Yoyo. Each of these lightweight wonders has its own lane in the lineup — a folding bassinet option, parent facing until 18 months, giant underbasket, high handlebar or seat for tall parents and children and more. 

Learn about our top choices for on-the-go with your little one in NYC and beyond. 

TLDR

For walkups and newborn snoozes, grab the Joolz Aer2. For taller toddlers and one-handed subway folds, it’s the Bugaboo Butterfly 2 Plus. Taller parents and bassinet loving newborns do best with the Silver Cross Nia. Bigger kids get extra stability — plus GREENGUARD Gold air quality — from the UppaBaby Minu V3. Want a showstopper? The Cybex Coya. Need the smallest possible fold for a suitcase? The Cybex Libelle. And for planes and restaurant dinners, nothing beats the narrow, foldable Stokke Yoyo.

How We Chose These

We hand-picked our fleet of lightweights by thinking of all of our different clients and their needs: from taller parents and bigger children, to parents who need the lightest possible option, to those who need the smallest fold, GREENGUARD Gold certification, more robust features and more parent facing options. Some strollers’ sweet spot is for serving newborns while others excel in taller, bigger toddlers.

We choose models that stand up to city streets, that fit in overhead bins, deliver a strong price-value ratio, and are backed by a manufacturer who has great customer service and ethos. 

As you probably know by now, the stroller world is all about trade-offs, so the key is to know what is going to make the biggest difference for you. 

Best For Walkups & Newborns - Joolz Aer2

For our NYC friends living in walkups, our best for award goes to the Joolz Aer2. Why? Because it’s not only light but it has a deep recline for naps, good wheels and suspension for a lightweight, and a big basket that can house your diaper bag. 

The Joolz Aer2’s newborn game is totally on point as well. You can let your baby recline back all the way or use the separate bassinet which is roomy and luxe. On top of that, the Joolz features an accessory no one else does: a nest-to-seat attachment where your baby can face you as a newborn (sort of a soft-bassinet vibe), and sitting up, up to 18 months. 

One of the main things you lose if you go light for your primary stroller is that after the bassinet stage, your baby will be world facing. It’s so nice to have a lightweight that’s thought of and solved for the fact that parents love seeing their littles as much as possible!  

Best For Taller Children & Subway Turnstiles - Bugaboo Butterfly 2 Plus

Next up, we’ve got the taller children conundrum and Bugaboo solves this perfectly. Their super tall seat on the Bugaboo Butterfly 2 Plus features a comfy headrest for those who are basketball players to be. The Butterfly, not surprisingly, is well constructed too with a nice, sizable underbasket. It also is one of the easiest folds, just one hand, and super simple for when you’re taking a subway: Pick up baby with one hand, fold stroller with other and go!

Best For a Taller Parent & Naps on the Go - Silver Cross Nia

For taller parents, on the other hand, the Silver Cross Nia is the top choice: The handlebar is the highest of the lot making it a comfy stroll with no hunching over. The stroller’s a stunner as well, with all the details, gorgeous fabrics, and a fabulous bassinet making it newborn ready and nap-friendly. 

We also love that the bassinet can actually fold down with the stroller, meaning if you’re traveling with a newborn you can place it with the bassinet in the overhead bin of the airplane. Big comfort in a small package indeed!

Best For a Bigger Child & Extra Peace of Mind - Minu V3

Although the Minu V3 is newborn friendly, we particularly love this for older and bigger toddlers. There’s also lots of storage space for your tot’s sports equipment and extra snacks. Its wider frame and sturdier build give it a stability that smaller strollers just can’t match. 

It’s also the only stroller in the line up that’s GREENGUARD Gold Certified — tested for low chemical emissions, so the air your kid’s breathing is a genuine thumbs up too. 

Best For a Style Statement - Cybex Coya

We say Oh Boya to the Coya - it’s a true looker. This lightweight stroller with a choice of frame (rose gold!) and fabric only comes in the “Style Collection” variety which means all the design bells and whistles are there — upgraded hardware, leather details. 

Pair it with the folding bassinet, and you have true fashion perfection. The nice thing is the bassinet can be used on your larger Mios stroller if you’ve got your primary-lightweight combo within the same brand. 

Lightest & Most Compact - Cybex Libelle

The lightest option of them all is the Cybex Libelle, long touted as the teeniest — even cited in the Guinness World Records. This little stroller has a two-stage fold, so if you need, it can get small enough to easily fit in your carry-on luggage.

It’s also the most affordable, and you get a bang for your buck as in typical Cybex fashion the car seat adapters are included. 

Best For Plane Travel and Restaurants - Stokke Yoyo

We have to give the best on a plane award to the OG of small strollers, the Yoyo by Stokke. It’s narrow, feather-light and chic as can be with interchangeable fabrics whether your little one is a newborn or a toddler. 

Choose from one of their pretty solids, or amp up your style quotient with a Bonpoint or Air France, or even “Wild” print in leopard or zebra. The airline attendants are used to seeing Yoyos so you won’t get a hassle at the airport. Also, it’s so narrow that you can roll it down the aisle on many planes, and then fold and tuck it into the overhead bin. 

When it comes to a night out for a bite, this stroller shines once more, as the handlebar can fold in making it discreet against the table, and not at risk of getting hit into or knocked around. A relaxing din din for all! However you get around the city, come test-drive any of these in store — you’ll walk out knowing exactly which one turns your commute from a wrestling match into a breeze.

Picks at a Glance

On the Go with Babesta

When it’s time to ride the subway or get outta dodge, or if you live in a walkup where a lightweight is going to be your main event, we’ve got the model for you. 

At Babesta, we’ll let you roll them outside, teach you to fold, and demo all of the key features you need. We think these are all solid choices, but everyone’s a bit different when it comes to priority, so we’ve worked hard to bring on models for all sorts of city scenarios. 

Shop Our Lightweight Stroller Edit

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a lightweight stroller really be my only stroller?

For some city families, yes. If your daily routine is mostly quick errands, subway rides, and rideshares rather than long park treks, a lightweight can absolutely be your one and only. The trade-off is usually a smaller basket, a bumpier ride, and less parent facing options compared to a full-size everyday stroller, so if you need serious storage, or logging major miles (as many NYC families do), it’s worth pairing a lightweight with a sturdier everyday model instead. See our Best Everyday Strollers for City Families guide.

Do lightweight strollers fit as a carry-on, or does it need to be gate-checked?

It depends on the model and the plane. Our lineup is all chosen as those that fit most overhead bins on airlines, however, if you’re taking a puddle jumper to Martha’s Vineyard, all bets are off. But basically, they fit as a carry-on. It’s always good to be prepared in case you’re in Boarding Group 7 or are late to the gate, in case overhead bins are full and you have to gate-check. A padded bag saves the day if you need to hand your stroller off. 

What car seats click into these without an adapter?

All of these need adapters, but Cybex adapters for the Coya and Libelle come in the box which is a nice bonus. For the others, the adapters are easy to use and can just stow in the underbasket when not in use. 

Related Reading

Stroller Station Checklist

Full-Size vs. Mid-Size vs. Lightweight Strollers

How to Choose the Best Stroller For City Life

Best Everyday Strollers for City Families