MTA Board Adopts Fare and Toll Increases to Take Effect in August

OMNY Customers Can Soon Start Their Fare Capping Week Anytime, Making OMNY Easier and More Flexible Than 7-Day MetroCards

LIRR and Metro-North Expand CityTicket to Peak Trains and Continue Discounted Joint Railroad Combo Tickets

Fares Frozen for Metro-North's Pascack Valley and Port Jervis Lines

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Board today approved a slate of toll increases to go into effect on August 6 and fare increases that go into effect on August 20. These increases had been introduced on May 22, 2023. Between June 22, 2023, and June 26, 2023, the MTA Board held four hybrid public hearings to receive public comments on the proposed fare changes. The MTA further invited and received written and video statements from members of the public commenting on the proposals.

Riders can expect to see the following changes in August:

OMNY Seven-Day Fare-Capping More Flexible, Now Tailored to Each Rider’s Transit Usage

In a move that increases convenience and financial flexibility for customers, the seven-day “best fare” fare-cap will allow OMNY customers to start their seven-day fare capping period any day of the week. Giving customers the best deal for any seven-day period will mark a change from the original fare-capping pilot, which calculated capped fares only on a Monday-through-Sunday schedule, regardless of what day a rider’s first tap came. Now the seven-day period will begin automatically the first time a rider taps their contactless payment device or OMNY card and will renew upon the rider’s first tap after the seven-day period has concluded.

Unlike the 7-day MetroCard, which requires an upfront $34 payment, the OMNY “best fare” initiative will give customers the financial flexibility to pay-as-they-go until they have spent $34 in any consecutive seven days, after which the cap will be in effect through the end of seven days. This new fare-capping structure will bring the financial flexibility and convenience of OMNY pay-as-you-go to many riders who have not yet made the switch to OMNY, particularly 7-day MetroCard pass customers, 75% of whom do not activate on Monday.

OMNY’s market share systemwide is over 42%, and in the latest Spring 2023 Customers Count Survey OMNY posted a 79% fare payment satisfaction rate.

Commuter Railroad Trains Continuing Combo Tickets, Discount on Monthly Tickets

The Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad will continue the fare discounts that initially debuted in February 2022. Those discounts include an additional 10% discount on monthly tickets.

The $5.00 CityTicket for all off-peak trains will also continue as both railroads further expand CityTicket to peak trains at a $7.00 fare. Additionally, the LIRR will introduce the Far Rockaway Ticket, which will mirror CityTicket prices.

Fares were frozen for Metro-North's West-of-Hudson service, the Pascack Valley Line and Port Jervis Line.

Updated Subway and Bus Fares

The base fare for subways, local buses, the Staten Island Railway and Paratransit will rise to $2.90, up from the current fare of $2.75. Express bus fares will rise to $7.00, from the current $6.75. modest changes to unlimited ride passes: 7-day unlimited-ride MetroCards will rise to $34.00 from the current $33.00, 30-day unlimited MetroCards rise to $132.00 from the current $127.00. Riders can avoid paying these costs up-front by tapping with OMNY to have fares capped at no more than $34.00 every seven days as described above.  Riders never pay for rides they don't take with OMNY.

Single rides on subways and buses will increase to $3.25 from the current $3.00; 7-Day Express Bus Plus MetroCards will rise to $64.00 from the current $62.00.

All discounts for seniors, reduced fares, will remain in place.

Toll Increase Lessened for E-ZPass Users

The toll increase adopted today by the MTA Board increases the discount offered to E-ZPass users, as had been proposed as “Option B”.

Toll rates continue to vary based on vehicle type and bridge or tunnel crossed. For automobiles using the MTA’s major crossings, the Bronx-Whitestone, Robert F. Kennedy, Throgs Neck, and Verrazzano-Narrows Bridges and Hugh L. Carey and Queens Midtown Tunnels, the new toll rates are set forth in the table below.

Customers who use an E-ZPass administered by E-ZPassNY will be able to save 2% more than before as compared to Tolls by Mail.

*Mid-tier rate is charged to an E-ZPass account-holder when an E-ZPass tag is not read due to improper mounting inside the vehicle and the toll is collected via license plate lookup.

Discounts for Staten Island residents using the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and Rockaways and Broad Channel residents using the Cross Bay Bridge will remain in place.

Continuation of Periodic, Incremental Fare and Toll Adjustments that Began in 2009

The modest increase in fares and tolls is a continuation of an MTA practice that began in 2009 in which small, predictable adjustments are made to fares and tolls on a biennial basis. Due to the impact the pandemic had on ridership fare increases were temporarily put on hold in 2021. The toll and fare revenue increase for 2023 is projected to generate $117 million in 2023. The five-year plan announced on Monday July 17 assumes an additional 4% increase in 2025 and in 2027. 

Traffic has returned with MTA Bridges and Tunnels crossings back at, or above, pre-pandemic levels. Paid ridership across subways, buses, commuter railroads and paratransit continue to trend towards the midpoint scenario analyzed by consulting firm McKinsey, which has the MTA reaching 80% of its pre-pandemic ridership by 2027.