NJ Transit Fare Hike Will Impact Bus, Train Riders: What To Know

Get ready to chip in a little bit more to pay for your ride on NJ Transit.

A system-wide fare hike will take effect for bus, train and light rail riders on Wednesday, July 1. See a list of the new prices here.

After nearly a decade without raising fares, NJ Transit rolled out a controversial 15 percent fare hike in 2024, which took effect that July. The board also authorized annual 3 percent increases, which kick in automatically every July 1. No hearings or vote are required.

Online reactions to NJ Transit’s 3 percent fare hike for 2026 were mixed.

“Such a scam,” one person criticized. “You continue to raise fares and service continues to get exponentially worse!”

Others were more blasé about the upcoming fare hike.

“Not bad,” a commenter wrote Wednesday. “Yeah, just a modest increase, but like you said, not bad,” another person responded.

FUNDING NJ TRANSIT

About 31 percent of the revenue in NJ Transit’s fiscal year 2026 operating budget comes from customer fares, according to data from the agency.

The remaining amount comes from dedicated funding from the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, which is $470 million in fiscal year 2026, along with $789 million from the corporate transit fee and a combination of commercial revenue and state and federal resources.

NJ Transit officials previously explained that the rate increase in 2024 was needed to close a $119 million budget gap that was brought to a tipping point after the COVID began to ease – along with ridership numbers. Inflation, the end of federal pandemic relief funding and rising health care costs also contributed to the financial crunch.

NJ Transit argued that it had held the line on fare increases since 2015. Meanwhile, it beefed up the numbers of train engineers and bus drivers, redesigned the mobile app, rolled out new payment technology, improved the Access Link paratransit service, and fully implemented Positive Train Control.

The agency also stepped up to replace private carrier bus services that were “abandoned” by DeCamp, Coach USA and A&C in recent years, an effort that has cost more than $30 million, spokespeople said.

• Related: NJ Transit Has 'Emergency Bus Plan' For Stranded Coach, A&C Riders
• Related: End Of An Era For DeCamp Bus: NJ Company Stopping NYC Routes

Despite the plea from NJ Transit, the fare hikes saw harsh criticism from some transportation advocates, who said that “working-class families who are dependent on NJ Transit can’t afford a 3 percent increase every single year.”

• Related: Train Riders Protest Fare Hike At NJ Transit Headquarters

Gov. Mikie Sherrill, who was serving as a U.S. Congress member at the time, also opposed the fare hike in 2024.

“I understand the difficult budget circumstances for NJ Transit, but this is a textbook example of inconsistent planning and short-term thinking that has been far too typical in Trenton and Washington,” she said.

Since taking office as governor, Sherrill has proposed increasing funding for NJ Transit in her first state budget, including a full fleet replacement by 2031.

In May, the governor’s office released Sherrill’s rapid action plan to make NJ Transit customers’ rides “cleaner and safer.” View the full announcement here.

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