Starting in January next year, the base fare for buses and subways in New York City will rise to $3. Additionally, fares on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and Metro-North trains will increase by up to 4.5%, and tolls on all MTA bridges and tunnels will increase by 7.5%.The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) unanimously approved the proposed bus and subway fare increases on the 30th, along with the LIRR and Metro-North fare increases and the bridge and tunnel toll increases.
According to the proposed increases, the base fare for a single MTA bus and subway ride will increase by 10 cents, from $2.90 to $3. Additionally, the one-week (7-day) and one-month (30-day) unlimited ride passes for buses and subways will be eliminated. However, a new “weekly cap of $35” will be introduced to replace the current $34 one-week (7-day) unlimited ride pass. This means that after making the first payment using the same payment method, such as a credit or debit card, you will no longer have to pay after your total bus or subway fare exceeds $35 within seven days. In other words, after riding 12 or more times within a week, you will be able to ride for free without any restrictions, according to the MTA.
Express bus fares will also increase. For Express buses, the one-way fare will increase by 25 cents from the current $7 to $7.25, and the unlimited ride passes for one week (7 days) and one month (30 days) will also be eliminated. However, as with regular buses and subways, a new “$67 weekly fare cap” will be introduced, so after your weekly fare exceeds $67, you can ride for free without any restrictions for the rest of the period.
In addition, LIRR and Metro-North train fares will increase by up to 4.5% per section. In addition, the validity period of all one-way tickets has been extended to 4:00 a.m. the following day, and the age limit for the “Family Fare Program,” which allows one paying adult to bring up to four children for $1, has been significantly increased from 11 years old and younger to 17 years old and younger. Tolls for all MTA bridges and tunnels have increased by 7.5% based on EasyPass, depending on the vehicle type and bridge
.For detailed information on bridge and tunnel toll increases, please refer to the website (https://www.mta.info/fares-tolls/2025-changes).Meanwhile, starting in January of next year, the MTA will completely eliminate the use of the “magnetic MetroCard,” which is currently used as a fare payment method, and will operate only the Tap and Ride method, which includes the OMNY card, credit cards, debit cards, and smartphone payments.