New York City commuters will pay more to ride subways, buses, and commuter rails starting Sunday, January 4, 2026, as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) implements a broad package of fare and ticketing changes approved by its board in late 2025. The move comes as the agency finishes rolling out its OMNY tap-to-ride payment system across the region and transitions away from the traditional MetroCard.
For most riders, the base fare for subways, local buses, and Access-A-Ride trips will rise from $2.90 to $3.00. Reduced fares will increase slightly as well. Express bus riders will see the base fare go from $7.00 to $7.25, and unlimited seven-day express bus passes will also climb. The single-ride ticket price will increase from $3.25 to $3.50.
Commuters on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and Metro-North Railroad will face fare increases of up to 8% on one-way tickets and around 4.5% on weekly and monthly passes, depending on ticket type. CityTicket commuter rail fares for in-city travel will also tick up slightly. At the same time the surcharge for tickets purchased onboard will jump to $8.
The fare hikes coincide with the phase-out of the MetroCard and full adoption of the OMNY contactless payment system, which includes automatic weekly fare caps designed to limit costs for frequent riders.
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