New OMNY Fare-Capping Program Starts Aug. 20, Allowing Customers to Start Their “Best Fare” Week at Any Time
7-Day Unlimited-Ride MetroCards and 7-Day Express Bus Plus Purchased at Current Rates will Expire on Sept. 2; 30-Day Unlimited-Ride MetroCards to Expire Sept. 25
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is reminding subway, bus and commuter railroad riders that new fares take effect Sunday, Aug. 20. The new fares, which are designed to yield a 4% fare revenue increase, were approved by the MTA Board during its July meeting.
The base fare for subways, local buses, the Staten Island Railway and Paratransit will rise to $2.90, up from the current fare of $2.75. Express bus fares will rise to $7.00, from the current $6.75. Single-ride tickets on subways and buses will increase to $3.25 from the current $3.00. All discounts for seniors and other reduced-fare customers will remain in place.
The Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad will continue fare discounts that initially debuted in February 2022, including an additional 10% discount on monthly tickets. Fares were frozen for Metro-North's West-of-Hudson service, the Pascack Valley Line and Port Jervis Line, which is provided under contract by NJ TRANSIT. The 20-trip ticket promotion ends Saturday, Aug.19. Any 20-trip ticket purchased prior to Aug. 19 will expire 60 days from time of purchase.
Tap-and-Go Seven-Day Fare-Capping More Flexible, Now Tailored to Each Riders’ Transit Usage
Starting Aug. 20, the seven-day “best fare” tap-and-go fare-cap will start any day of the week. A rider’s seven-day period will begin automatically with the first tap into the system and be charged per ride for their first 12 rides of the week, regardless of what day the week starts. Riders who tap with OMNY will never have to worry about paying more than they should in a week because they pay on a per-trip basis and never pay more than $34.00 within any seven-day period, no matter how many trips they take. The first 11 trips cost $2.90 per tap, the 12th trip costs $2.10, and the 13th trip and all subsequent trips are free.
Unlike the 7-day unlimited-ride MetroCard, which requires an upfront $34.00 payment, the OMNY “best fare” initiative will give customers the financial flexibility to pay as they go until they have spent $34.00 in any consecutive seven days. Riders will not pay more than $34.00 in those seven days.
OMNY’s market share systemwide is over 42%, and in the latest Spring 2023 Customers Count Survey OMNY posted a 79% fare payment satisfaction rate. On July 26, OMNY surpassed one billion taps.
Unlimited Ride MetroCards Grace Period
For MetroCard users who wish to obtain unlimited travel by paying up-front, any 30-day, 7-day or 7-day Express Bus Plus unlimited-ride MetroCard purchased at the current rate will expire in September following the Aug. 20 fare increase. The 7-day unlimited-ride MetroCard will increase from $33.00 to $34.00, and the 7-day Express Bus Plus will increase from $62.00 to $64.00. Any rider who purchases a 7-day unlimited-ride or 7-day Express Bus Plus at the current rates must activate their pass by Aug. 27 to receive the full value. Either 7-day pass purchased at current rate will expire on Sept. 2.
Riders who purchase a 30-day unlimited-ride MetroCard must also activate by Aug. 27 to receive the full value, as 30-day unlimited-ride MetroCards purchased at its current rate of $127.00 will expire on Sept. 25. Under the fare increase, the 30-day unlimited-ride will cost $132.00.
Launch of the Far Rockaway Ticket, CityTicket Expansion to Peak Trains
On Tuesday, Aug. 15, the MTA announced the Far Rockaway Ticket, a ticket made just for Far Rockaway riders which will mirror CityTicket prices and be valid for travel within Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan. The ticket will be available for purchase starting Sunday, Aug. 20.
The Far Rockaway Ticket debuts as the CityTicket becomes valid 24/7. Starting on Monday, Aug. 21, CityTicket will expand to peak trains at a rate of $7.00, covering commuter railroad stations in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan. The expansion to peak trains makes the CityTicket valid any time and day of the week, with off-peak fares remaining at $5.00.
Continuation of Periodic, Incremental Fare and Toll Adjustments that Began in 2009
The increase in fares and tolls is a continuation of an MTA practice that began in 2009 in which small, predictable adjustments are made to fares and tolls on a biennial basis. Due to the impact the pandemic had on ridership fare increases were temporarily put on hold in 2021. The toll and fare revenue increase for 2023 is projected to generate $117 million in 2023. The five-year plan announced on Monday, July 17, assumes additional 4% increases in 2025 and in 2027.