New York City's subway and bus fares are set to increase to $3 on Sunday, a 10-cent hike since the last fare increase in 2023. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has been creative in avoiding a full $3 fare, but the growing costs and inflation have made it unavoidable. In 2017, the agency held the cost at $2.75, but increased unlimited ride pass prices. In 2019, they maintained the fare and eliminated bonuses for MetroCard users. Governor Kathy Hochul paused a planned fare hike to $2.90 post-pandemic. However, the MTA board's proposal to increase fares by 4% every two years, due to rising operating costs, has made the $3 fare hike necessary. This comes as the MTA transitions to the OMNY system, replacing 30-day unlimited passes with weekly unlimited passes, requiring riders to pay $35 within 7 days after 12 taps. The surcharge for new OMNY cards is rising from $1 to $2, though this won't take effect until 2026. Express bus commuters will see a 25-cent increase, with fares rising to $7.25 for regular riders and $3.60 for reduced fare riders. The MTA is also implementing new rules for Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North commuters, requiring them to activate tickets on their smartphones before boarding, with conductors able to issue $8 surcharges for last-minute activations. Drivers will face a 7.5% toll rate increase on the MTA's nine bridges and tunnels, with the Queens-Midtown Tunnel toll rising to $7.46 for EZPass users.
