August 21, 2023
Subway and bus fares went up again yesterday. Instead of just going straight to three bucks and skipping the next fare increase, MTA raised the fare to an annoyingly unwieldy $2.90. While NYers who tap their OMNY device or swipe an auto-refill Metrocard may not feel any difference, tourists converting their Euros, Pounds, or Yen may find converting the new fare inelegant, to say the least. And old timers still feeding dollar bills into Metrocard machines will no doubt be thrilled to get a dime in change.*
(*sarcasm).
“On August 20, fare increases went into effect across MTA subways, buses, and commuter railroads. Toll increases on bridges and tunnels went into effect on August 6.
“Before the COVID-19 pandemic, we agreed to implement fare increases every two years. Thanks to funding from Gov. Kathy Hochul, we were able to put off the 2021 scheduled fare increase.
“Now, with ridership growing, we’re returning to the regular fare increases that allow us to maintain current service levels and even increase service frequency.
“With additional funding from New York State, we are able to keep the fare increase to 4%, rather than 5.5%. The MTA is always working to cut costs to reduce operating expenses and keep fares affordable for customers.”
Next train ride will cost $2.90