MTA Approves Fare Hikes, MetroCard Phaseout

The MTA board voted 11-0 with two abstentions to approve a fare-and-toll package that will raise the base subway and local bus fare from $2.90 to $3, boost express bus to $7.25, and increase tolls on most MTA bridges to about $7.46, effective Jan. 4, 2026. The decision accompanies a full phaseout of the MetroCard and a switch to OMNY: buses will stop accepting cash onboard, onboard payments will be OMNY-only, the standalone OMNY card fee will rise to $2, and the agency plans to sell its final MetroCard at year-end. The seven-day OMNY fare cap was made permanent and lowered to $35 (with a $17.50 reduced-fare cap), and the 30-day unlimited option will be eliminated. LIRR and Metro-North fares will rise (one-way fares up to about 8%, weekly/monthly up to roughly 4.5%), one-way tickets will expire at 4 a.m. the following day, round-trip tickets will be replaced by a Day Pass, and pay-as-you-go discounts or free electronic tickets are being introduced. Officials said the modest increases are intended to help cover inflation and rising labor costs, reflect public comment, and are part of the agency's regular biennial adjustments as fares now account for roughly a quarter to nearly a third of the MTA’s operating budget.