Jennifer Vazquez

MTA Fare Hike Now in Effect

What to Know

  • The fare hike for the MTA and commuter rails took effect Sunday
  • The $2.75 MetroCard base fare remains the same. However, there is a weekly and monthly MetroCard increase
  • The express bus fare increased from $6.50 to $6.75

The day that many commuters are dreading is here.

The fare hike for the MTA and commuter rails went into effect Sunday.

The increase comes after the MTA board approved a fare hike Feb. 27.

But what does this mean for riders?

The $2.75 MetroCard base fare will remain the same. However, a weekly MetroCard increases from $30 to $33. A monthly MetroCard will go up from $121 to $127. Meanwhile, the express bus fare will go up from $6.50 to $6.75.

Overall, commuter rail fares will increase about 4 percent but no more than $15 per month.

Additionally, there is no fare increase for commuters who purchase monthly passes of $460 or more.

“This is painful for a lot of people,” said MTA Chairman Fernando Ferrer previously said on the fare hike. “But it wasn’t exactly a mugging."

After a January promise not to raise fares amid budget uncertainty, the MTA reversed it course Feb. 25, announcing it would put the matter to a vote. That vote also saw the implementation of a toll hike.

Drivers started paying 4 percent more at tolls March 31 as the EZ Pass increased from $5.76 to $6.12 and cash tolls went up $1 from $8.50 to $9.50.

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