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Heads up Long Islanders, it’s about to get more expensive for those who commute to and frequent New York City.
The MTA announced on Wednesday that on Aug. 20 fares will be going up for those riding commuter railroads (such as the LIRR), as well as NYC subways and public buses. This will be the first price increase since the pandemic.
The MTA stated that the fare increases will be kept under 5.5%, thanks to additional funding from New York State.
“The MTA is always working to cut costs to reduce operating expenses and keep fares affordable for customers,” the announcement reads.
Janno Lieber, the MTA chairman and CEO, emphasized in an interview with Newsday the importance of regularly scheduled, modest rate increases. He pointed out that the LIRR had reduced monthly fares by 10% last year to attract back riders who ditched mass transit during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The fares are still lower than they used to be, even though everything else in life has gone up,” he told Newsday.
He added that he believes a fare increase is responsible given recent inflation and will maintain a balanced budget and service.
Tolls to cross over certain NYC bridges and tunnels will also rise. Those will go into effect on Aug. 6.
Here are some of the price hikes you can expect:
- Monthly and weekly tickets for the LIRR and Metro-North will increase by up to 4.5% across both railroads.
- The base fare for NYC subway, local buses, and paratransit will rise by 15 cents, from $2.75 to $2.90.
- Tolls on MTA bridges and tunnels will go up by up to 6% for E-ZPass customers and 10% for others.
For those wondering, one-way ticket prices from Ronkonkoma to Penn Station/Grand Central will see an off-peak jump from $14.25 to $15.25; peak tickets will increase from $19.75 to $20.50.
To see the full fare increases on LIRR, click here. To see the toll increase for bridges and tunnels, click here.
Top: Doors close as as Long Island Rail Road train departs for its inaugural trip from Jamaica station towards Grand Central Terminal, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, in the Queens borough of New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
