Riding the Rails to Ruin: How the MTA's Hike Hits the Hardest

New York - MTA Board Approves January 2026 Fare and Toll Hikes: Base Fare Rises to $3NEW YORK, NY — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Board has officially approved a series of fare and toll increases across the New York City transit system, commuter railroads, bridges, and tunnels, with the changes set to take effect in January 2026. The move, which follows public hearings and a board vote in late September 2025, is designed to align with the full rollout of the OMNY tap-and-go payment system and help stabilize the authority’s operating budget.The decision marks the first major fare adjustment since August 2023 and will see the base fare for subways and local buses rise to the $3.00 mark for the first time. NYC Mayor Eric Adams said at his latest press conference, he supports the MTA and championed the Fair Fares program.

The most immediate change for millions of daily riders is the increase to the standard fare, which will go up by 10 cents: Base Fare: Increases from $2.90 to $3.00 for subways, local buses, and Access-A-Ride. Reduced Fare: Increases from $1.45 to $1.50.Express Bus Fare: Increases from $7.00 to $7.25.Single Ride Ticket: Increases from $3.25 to $3.50.Crucially, the MTA also codified major policy changes intended to simplify payment and benefit frequent riders who utilize the OMNY system:Permanent Fare Capping: The OMNY 7-day “best fare” cap will become permanent.

Under this system, riders pay for their first 12 trips within any rolling 7-day period, and all subsequent trips for the remainder of that week are free. At the new base fare, riders will not pay more than $35.00 per week.Express Bus Fare Cap: A new weekly fare cap of $67.00 will be introduced for Express Bus customers, covering unlimited express bus, local bus, and subway rides.MetroCard Retirement: Prepaid unlimited ride Metro Cards (7-Day and 30-Day) will be retired and replaced entirely by the automatic OMNY fare cap system.Commuter Rail and Toll IncreasesCommuters utilizing the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and Metro-North Railroad will also see higher costs, with increases implemented based on ticket type and zone:Monthly and Weekly Tickets: Will increase by up to 4.5% across both commuter railroads.

The MTA noted that monthly ticket prices will remain lower than pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels.Other Ticket Types: Most other ticket types, including one-way and ten-trip tickets, will increase by up to 8%.City Ticket: Peak City Ticket will increase from $7.00 to $7.25, while Off-Peak City Ticket will increase from $5.00 to $5.25.In addition to transit fares, tolls on MTA bridges and tunnels will increase by 7.5% across all facilities, including those paid via E-ZPass and Tolls by Mail. The existing toll discount programs for Queens, Bronx, and Staten Island residents will remain in effect.MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber stated the "modest" increases were necessary to maintain service levels, keep pace with inflation, and ensure the long-term fiscal health of the transit system. @joesjnews