NYC commuters are paying higher fees as the MetroCard system is about to come to an end, as the MTAapproved price and toll hikes that fall in line with a long-term move to contactless payment.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

MetroCard Fare Hikes and Phase-Out Mark a New Era
Photo: wikipedia

MetroCard Fares Increased Affects Riders

Starting from January 4th, subway and bus travel will cost $3, an increase of ten cents from its current baseline price. Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad weekly and monthly passes will be hiked by up to 4.5%. One-way commuter fares will go up by no more than 8%.

Don’t miss…Riyadh Metro carried 100 million passengers in nine months

For subway and bus users, a seven-day cap will rise from $34 to $35, while a 30-day MetroCard now priced at $132 compares with $140 over 28 days under the new structure. Officials lowered the weekly cap by $1 after feedback from August public hearings.

Tolls will increase by 7.5% on seven bridges and two tunnels. Driver’s cars that have an E-ZPass will cost $7.46 instead of charging $6.94 on the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, Queens Midtown Tunnel, and Hugh L. Carey Tunnel. Credits go to motorists driving into Manhattan’s congestion-pricing zone during peak periods.

MetroCard Replacement by OMNY

After December 31, the MTA will no longer sell MetroCards, including the 30-day unlimited version, but existing cards remain valid until 2026. Introduced in 1993, the yellow card defined decades of commuting, but today 81% of riders already use OMNY. The tap-and-go system works with smartphones, credit cards, and OMNY cards.

MTA officials emphasized that such tweaks are required as inflation, wages, and lost fares to subway system during 2024 costing $1 billion put pressure on finances. Albany politicians have offered funding from the state to constrain increases to less than sharp Philadelphia and New Jersey spikes.

CEO Janno Lieber stated that the agency needs to invest in modernization, reliability, and safety. Nevertheless, riders panned the move. One commuter of “The Fare Ain’t Fair” cap asked board members to support low-income residents relying on cheap transit.

Source: www.bloomberg.com

News on railway transport, industry, and railway technologies from Railway Supply that you might have missed:

Don’t miss…Amtrak operations continue despite U.S. government shutdown risks

When will MetroCard no longer be in effect?

The MTA will no longer sell the MetroCard from Dec. 31, but existing cards will likely be good through 2026.

Subway and bus fares will go up how much?

The floor price goes up to $3, having a capping limit of $35 weekly rather than $34.

Will OMNY completely replace MetroCard?

Indeed, OMNY already processes 81% of rides now and it will be its exclusive card to use once MetroCard is retired.

Find the latest news of the railway industry in Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union and the rest of the world on our page on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, read Railway Supply magazine online.

Place your ads on webportal and in Railway Supply magazine. Detailed information is in Railway Supply media kit