NYC subway fare increase 2026: new fares, caps, and tolls

NYC subway fare increase 2026 is one piece of a wider set of MTA fare changes Jan. 4, 2026 that affects subways, buses, commuter rail, and bridge-and-tunnel tolls.

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

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority board voted on the package in September, framing it as an inflation-linked update that also lines up with the OMNY tap-and-go payment rollout as the system moves away from MetroCard. The MTA fares, tolls, and ticketing changes page lays out the full set of updates. Everything goes into effect on Jan. 4, 2026.

These updates have been on the calendar before. They were initially expected to start in March 2025, but the MTA pushed the rollout back to better match the full launch of OMNY on subways and buses. OMNY is intended to take over as MetroCard use is phased down.

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MTA fare changes Jan. 4, 2026 for subways and buses

Beginning Jan. 4, the base fare for New York City subways, buses, and Access-A-Ride increases by 10 cents, moving a standard ride from $2.90 to $3. Reduced fares rise by 5 cents to $1.50. Express bus fares also tick up: the full fare goes from $7 to $7.25, and the reduced express fare increases to $3.60.

Single-ride tickets climb from $3.25 to $3.50. Later in 2026, after the MetroCard phase-out in 2026 is complete, the fee for a new OMNY card rises to $2. Existing discount programs for seniors, people with disabilities, students, and paratransit riders remain unchanged.

NYC subway fare increase 2026 brings rolling fare caps

A major policy shift in the same package is the permanent move to rolling fare caps. Under the new setup, subway and local bus customers will not be charged for more than 12 rides in a seven-day period, which caps weekly costs at $35 for full-fare riders and $17.50 for reduced-fare customers. The change is also described in an MTA announcement on the January 2026 fare and toll changes.

A second rolling cap applies to express bus riders, limiting seven-day spending to $67 for unlimited express bus, local bus, and subway trips. With rolling caps in place, the MTA will stop selling 7-day, 30-day, and express bus unlimited MetroCards. Riders can still add value to OMNY cards, and unused balances will roll over instead of expiring.

Commuter rail: Long Island Rail Road fare increase and Metro-North Railroad adjustments

Commuter rail fares are changing on the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad, too. Weekly and monthly tickets will increase by as much as 4.5%, with a cap that keeps those fares from exceeding $500. Other ticket types may rise by up to 8%.

Peak CityTicket fares increase from $7 to $7.25, while off-peak CityTickets move from $5 to $5.25. The CityTicket and Far Rockaway ticket options become permanent, and there will be no fare increases on West of Hudson lines. The surcharge for tickets purchased or activated onboard trains goes up by $2, whether handled by conductors or done through the TrainTime app.

Other adjustments are planned for 2026 as well. One-way tickets, whether paper or mobile, will be valid until 4 a.m. the day after purchase. Round-trip tickets will be replaced by a new Day Pass offering unlimited travel through the following early morning hours, with pricing based on peak or off-peak use.

Not every item in the package raises costs. Families will be able to pay a $1 fare for kids ages 5 to 17 traveling with a paying adult, including during peak periods. Reduced fares will also be available at all times for seniors, people with disabilities, and Medicare recipients.

Tolls at all MTA bridge and tunnel crossings will increase by 7.5% for both E-ZPass and Tolls by Mail users, while resident rebate programs for Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island remain in effect.

The authority also says buses can issue traffic tickets now. A short summary of the 2026 fare and toll package is available from Railway Supply. Upgraded ticket vending machines are also being rolled out across LIRR and Metro-North stations, with multilingual support, cross-railroad ticket sales, and improved payment features.

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