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New York City commuters are now paying more for subway and bus rides as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority implemented a fare hike on Sunday. The base fare for subways and buses increased by ten cents, bringing the cost to $3. This fare hike is part of the MTA's efforts to recover approximately $400 million lost to fare evasion over the past year.
The transition from MetroCard swipes to the OMNY tap-and-ride system accompanies the fare increase. The MetroCard's elimination also ends the monthly 30-day unlimited passes, replaced by a $35 unlimited seven-day pass. Riders who pay for 12 trips within a week will have free rides for the remainder of the period, ensuring no one pays more than $35 weekly.
Express bus fares rose from $7 to $7.25, with the unlimited seven-day express bus pass increasing from $64 to $67. All bus riders must now use OMNY, as cash and coins are no longer accepted. According to PIX11, commuter rails like the Long Island Railroad and Metro-North have also seen fare hikes, with monthly and weekly ticket prices increasing by 4.5%.
The last fare increase occurred in 2023 when the fare rose from $2.75 to $2.90. Typically, fare increases happen every two years in August, but this hike was delayed to coincide with the OMNY transition.
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