Fare, Toll Increases Coming in March from the MTA

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board voted Wednesday to keep the base fare increase below inflation for another two years in approving the lowest fare and toll increase since 2009, when the MTA committed to a biennial schedule for regular increases.

The plan approved today increased fares and tolls over the next two years by less than 2 percent annually.

For example, Metro-North fares will go up by 3.75 percent. Crossing the Throgs Neck and the Whitestone will rise to $8.50 from $8 and the Henry Hudson Bridge will go to $6 from $5.50 (if you don't have EZPass).

The new fares take effect March 19.

The MTA was able to hold the necessary increases below inflation as a result of the agency’s continued discipline in keeping costs down, officials said.

“The MTA is focused on keeping our fares affordable for low-income riders and frequent riders, and on how we can keep necessary scheduled increases as small and as predictable as possible,” MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas F. Prendergast said in the announcement. “Keeping fares and tolls down was possible because of the continued operational efficiencies and ways we have reduced costs while adding service and capacity along our busiest corridors, most recently with the opening of the new Second Avenue subway.”

The MTA Board approved increases that keep the base fare for subways and buses at $2.75 and to keep a pay-per-ride bonus, making the effective fare with the bonus $2.62.

The 7-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCard, which officials said is heavily used by lower-income and frequent riders, will increase by only a dollar to $32; the 30-day Unlimited Ride MetroCard will increase from $116.50 to $121. Both of these options were the same under the two proposals presented to the MTA Board.

The Single Ride Ticket remains at $3. The cash fare for Express Buses remains at $6.50, making the effective fare with the bonus $6.19.

Most Metro-North Railroad customers will see weekly and monthly passes increase 3.75 percent or less, with rises to monthly tickets capped at $15. Intermediate monthly and weekly ticket increases are also capped at 3.75 percent.

Some one-way fares will have larger increases only because fares must occur in 25-cent increments. For these one-way fares, any increase greater than 6 percent would be not more than 50 cents per ride; West of Hudson customers will see a 2 percent increase in fares; City Ticket remains unchanged at $4.25.

Tolls will rise less than 25 cents for cars crossing MTA Bridges and Tunnels facilities and using a New York Customer Service Center (NYCSC) E-ZPass, 73 percent of total crossings. Customers who pay with cash, Tolls by Mail or a non-NYCSC E-ZPass will see increases of 6.3 percent to 9.1 percent. This proposal is consistent with the MTA policy to increase the price differential between cash and E-ZPass to encourage E-ZPass use, which is the least expensive way to collect and pay tolls.

Fare and Toll Tables