Should You Wear Earplugs on the Subway or a Noisy Commute?

For many riders, yes. Studies of New York City’s transit system found that subway platforms averaged about 86 dBA, with peaks well above 100 dBA inside cars, and the researchers suggested personal hearing protection where the noise can’t be engineered away. A comfortable pair of filtered earplugs can turn the ride down to a calmer level while you still hear announcements and the people next to you.

Quick answer

• How loud: NYC subway platforms averaged 86 dBA in one survey, with a top reading of 112 dBA inside a subway car.
• Why it matters: NIDCD says long or repeated exposure at or above 85 dBA can cause hearing loss, and a daily commute repeats every workday.
• What helps: earplugs that turn noise down without cutting you off, and a lower headphone volume.
• Our pick: The One with interchangeable filters for riding, or Full Stop Super-Soft for napping on a long ride.

How loud is the subway, really?

The best numbers we have come from researchers who carried sound meters through New York City’s transit system. In a 2006 pilot survey in the Journal of Urban Health, the team took more than 90 measurements. Subway platforms averaged 86 dBA, give or take 4. The loudest moments reached 106 dBA on a platform, 112 dBA inside a subway car and 89 dBA at a bus stop.

A follow-up study used noise dosimeters, which average sound over time, on subways, buses, ferries, a tramway and commuter railways. According to the 2009 study in the American Journal of Public Health, subway cars and platforms were the loudest of the lot. Every type of transit they measured had average levels appreciably above 70 dBA.

Those figures are from one city, measured years ago, and your line may be quieter or louder. Brakes, curves, old tunnels and a busy platform all change the picture. Still, they give you a fair sense of what a rush-hour ride can sound like.

Can a daily commute affect your hearing?

It can add up. The NIDCD explains that sounds at or below 70 dBA are unlikely to cause hearing loss, even after long exposure, while long or repeated exposure at or above 85 dBA can. A commute is the textbook case of “repeated”: twice a day, five days a week, for years.

The transit researchers came to a similar view. Their 2009 paper concluded that mass transit noise could exceed limits recommended by the World Health Organization and the U.S. EPA, given enough exposure time. Where noise control isn’t practical, they wrote, personal hearing protection would help riders’ hearing health.

The WHO’s safe listening guidance puts time and level together. It says you can listen at 80 dB for up to 40 hours a week, but at 90 dB that drops to about four hours a week. Small jumps in level take a big bite out of the time.

What about turning up your headphones?

This is the sneaky part of commuting. When the train roars, most of us nudge the volume up to hear a podcast over it. Now your ears are getting the train plus the music.

WHO suggests keeping personal devices at no more than 60% of maximum volume. It also recommends well-fitted, noise-cancelling headphones so you don’t need to crank the sound, and it names travelling on public transport as one of those noisy settings. We wrote more about this in how a better headphone seal can let you listen at lower volume.

Earplugs work the same way. If the background noise comes down, you have less reason to turn anything up.

Which earplugs make sense for a train or bus ride?

On transit you want two things at once: less noise, and enough awareness to hear your stop, a conductor or someone asking for your seat. That’s why NIOSH’s advice on overprotection is useful here. Its hearing protection guidance suggests aiming for just enough reduction to land between 75 and 85 dBA, and notes that most workers need 10 dB or less. Too much blocking can leave people feeling cut off, and then the plugs come out.

NIOSH also describes flat-attenuation earplugs, sometimes called musicians’ earplugs, which lower sound evenly across frequencies to keep it natural, only quieter. That’s handy when you want to catch an announcement.

How does Big Ear help with a noisy commute?

For most riders we’d start with The One. Every pair has a two-part, analog, non-electronic filter system: a non-linear filter in the canal, plus an interchangeable flat filter on the outside face in 9, 15, 20, 25 or 30 dB. The One carries an NRR of 25 dB with one filter installed, and because the filters are interchangeable, you can change your mind without a new mold.

Our general guide is 9, 15 or 20 dB for quieter settings, and 25 or 30 dB for very loud ones such as firearms, motorcycles and time around aircraft. Transit noise varies a lot from line to line, so we don’t prescribe one level for every commute. Our filter guide walks through the choices, and you’re welcome to call us and talk it through.

The One comes in three kits:

• Standard, $224.95: one filter set. Our best seller.
• Select, $299.95: two filter sets, our best value. One pair can carry a lighter filter for the bus and a stronger one for the loudest stretch of track.
• Premium, $574.95: all five filters, plus a hole plug, solid plugs, a tactical piece and a case.

If your commute is a long train or bus ride where you’d like to read or doze, Full Stop Super-Soft ($168.95) is the quiet option. It’s made from platinum-cure silicone at Shore A 25, it’s hypoallergenic and antibacterial, and it has an NRR of 32 dB. Set an alarm for your stop, since solid plugs block a lot. It doubles as a sleep plug at home too (see earplugs for daytime sleep).

Every pair is hand-built in the USA from impressions of your ears. Your order includes a free Home Impression Kit that arrives in 3 to 5 business days with return postage paid. With a helper and our guided video, impressions take about 15 to 20 minutes, and if one can’t be used we send a second kit free. Expect your pair 40 business days after your impressions reach our lab. Order shipping is $10, and every pair comes with our 30-Day Fit Warranty and a 1-year manufacturer defect warranty against manufacturing defects (loss isn’t covered). Custom products can’t be returned, and we keep your impressions on file for up to ten years.

Why does custom fit matter on a commute?

Commuting means putting plugs in and taking them out a lot, often while standing, holding a rail or juggling a coffee. A plug molded to your ear goes in the same way each time, with no rolling or squeezing.

Comfort matters too. NIOSH puts it plainly: “Comfort is the key to consistent use of hearing protection.” A pair you forget you’re wearing is a pair you’ll keep in for the whole ride. NIOSH also notes that custom earplugs cost more at the outset but are more durable and last longer than disposable types, which suits something you’ll use twice a day.

What else can you do to protect your ears on the way to work?

• Use the arm’s-length check from WHO: if you need to raise your voice to be heard by someone an arm’s length away, it’s too loud.
• Stay away from loudspeakers and other loud sources when you can, as WHO suggests.
• Keep headphone volume at 60% or less, per WHO, and give your ears quiet breaks during the day.
• Try a free sound level app if you’re curious how loud your own line is. WHO mentions apps that let you monitor your exposure.
• When you walk to and from the station near traffic, take filtered plugs down to a light level or remove them so you stay aware of your surroundings.

If you notice ringing in your ears that is new or getting worse, muffled hearing that doesn’t clear, or ear pain, please see a doctor or audiologist. The same goes if you have ear tubes or have had recent ear surgery: check with them before using any earplugs.

Frequently asked questions

Will I still hear announcements with earplugs in?

With filtered earplugs such as The One, yes in most cases. Flat filters lower sound evenly, so voices stay clear at a calmer level. Solid plugs block much more, so they suit napping better than listening for your stop.

Is the bus as loud as the subway?

Usually not. In the New York surveys, the subway was the loudest form of transit, and the top reading at bus stops was 89 dBA. All the transit types measured were still above 70 dBA on average, so protection is still worth having on a long commute.

Which filter should I start with for the train?

There isn’t one answer for every line. Many people like a lighter filter for everyday riding and a stronger one for loud stretches, which is why Select’s two filter sets suit commuters well. Call us at (719) 271-4528 and we’ll help you pick.

Ready for a quieter ride?

Order your free Home Impression Kit or try Find my pair to see which earplug suits your commute. If you’d rather talk it through, call us at (719) 271-4528. We’re happy to help you find something you’ll actually wear, stop after stop.

Sources

• Gershon RR, Neitzel R, Barrera MA, Akram M. Pilot survey of subway and bus stop noise levels. Journal of Urban Health. 2006;83(5):802–812.
• Neitzel R, Gershon RR, Zeltser M, Canton A, Akram M. Noise levels associated with New York City’s mass transit systems. American Journal of Public Health. 2009;99(8):1393–1399.
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). Noise-Induced Hearing Loss. Last updated April 16, 2025.
• World Health Organization. Deafness and hearing loss: Safe listening. 6 March 2026.
• CDC / NIOSH. Provide Hearing Protection. Last updated October 28, 2026.