MTA hikes NYC bus, subway fares to $3

By Alvin Wu
Domestic Affairs
MTA hikes NYC bus, subway fares to $3

An F train arrives at 34th Street—Herald Square station on Dec. 30, 2025. ZFJ/Alvin Wu

NEW YORK, Jan. 5 (ZFJ) — New York subway, local bus, and Access-a-Ride fares increased 10 cents from $2.90 to $3 ($1.45 to $1.50 reduced) on Sunday, Jan. 4.

Per the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the automatic rolling 7-day fare cap for unlimited rides is now permanent. After paying for 12 rides in a 7-day period, all additional rides are free, meaning no rider will pay more than $35 ($17.50 reduced) in a week.

Express bus fares rose from $7 to $7.25 ($3.50 to $3.60 reduced). Express bus riders have a separate 7-day fare cap of $67.

The single ride ticket price increased from $3.25 to $3.50.

The fee for a new OMNY card will increase to $2 once MetroCards are no longer accepted later in 2026. OMNY cards last for up to five years.

Additionally, LIRR and Metro-North monthly and weekly ticket prices saw an increase of up to 4.5%. All other ticket prices saw an increase of up to 8%.

All one-way paper and mobile LIRR and Metro-North tickets now expire at 4 a.m. the day after purchase. Customers will still be required to activate tickets before boarding.

For the two railroads, the round-trip ticket has been replaced with a new day pass for unlimited travel and expires at 4 a.m. the next day. On weekdays, the day pass will cost 10% less than two one-way peak tickets; on weekends, it will cost the same as two one-way off-peak tickets.

For the two railroads, the onboard ticket surcharge has risen by $2. Customers who repeatedly purchase or activate tickets onboard will be subject to this surcharge after a series of warnings.

All tolls have increased by 7.5% at all facilities.

The fare and toll changes were approved by the MTA Board on Sept. 30, 2025. The 2025 MTA operating budget, approved by the board in December 2024, assumed that the increases would take effect March 2025. However, the hike was delayed to this month to align with the full launch of tap-and-go payment on subways and buses.

Commenting on the fare hike, newly-elected New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on X that he spent Sunday evening riding the only free bus in the city, the Q70. One of his primary campaign promises has been to make city buses free.

“What was clear right away was the relief this one bus line gives working class New Yorkers,” he wrote. “Imagine if every bus felt like this.”

New York City Transit fare tables (ARCHIVE)

Long Island Rail Road fare tables (ARCHIVE)

Metro-North Railroad fare tables (ARCHIVE)

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