Do New Yorkers pay for the subway?

For most riders, the subway fare is $2.90. Reduced fares are available for people 65 and older, people with disabilities, and low-income New Yorkers. Learn more about fares.



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Where our operating budget dollars come from. The largest share of MTA revenue — $7.222 billion — comes from dedicated taxes and subsidies the Authority receives from the cities and states that we serve. Another $6.870 billion comes from fares and tolls.

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The subway operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Riding the subway is one of the easiest and most convenient ways to get around the city. For most riders, the subway fare is $2.90.

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“About 400,000 riders enter the subway each day without paying–a problem so big that enforcement alone cannot solve it,” the panel reported.

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NYC MTA bus drivers do not have the authority to let riders ride without payment. Passengers are required to pay the fare or use a valid MetroCard when boarding the bus. Failure to pay the fare may result in penalties or fines.

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The MTA has the authority to collect fares from the riding public, pursuant to the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Riders who enter the subway system or ride buses without paying the fare are subject to a $50 or $100 fine.

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In 2021, our total subway ridership was 760 million, reaching 45% of our 2019 ridership numbers. Total bus ridership was 312 million, back to 56% of our 2019 ridership numbers.

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Once you've taken 12 paid rides in a seven-day period, you can ride free for the rest of the week. Here's an example: A rider uses the subway to get to and from work, and takes it on weekends to go into Manhattan to meet friends. They also use the local buses in their neighborhood to run errands.

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The subway operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Riding the subway is one of the easiest and most convenient ways to get around the city. For most riders, the subway fare is $2.90. Reduced fares are available for people 65 and older, people with disabilities, and low-income New Yorkers.

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For the last 40 years, the MTA has taken out loans to help pay for new tracks, stations, trains and buses — and maintain the ones it already owns. Money from fares, tolls and taxes pays back the lenders, plus interest. That business model worked until the pandemic sent ridership plummeting.

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There are a number of reasons for this. Why is the New York City subway losing money? Virtually every public transportation system in the world loses money. Public transportation systems aren't for-profit businesses, they are public agencies, run by the government, intended to provide a service to the general public.

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Cost: $34 (7-day) or $132 (30-day). You have unlimited swipes on the subway and local buses for either 7 or 30 days. Your MetroCard can only hold one Unlimited Ride refill at a time. You can't pause an unlimited ride card once you've started using it.

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I never leave home without it.} Don't feel paranoid or embarrassed because you decide to cab it or leave the subway station. On the flip side, don't feel that the New York subway is “sketchy” because it's underground and smells bad. In most cases, the subway is a safer mode of transportation than driving.

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However, it is best to prepare your trip by knowing your destination, what train(s) will take you there and how you plan to spend your time. It is absolutely safe to visit New York and ride the subway, relative to any other public activities in other cities. In fact, it's been a low-crime area for years.

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The usual penalty is a $100 fine. But: In 2017 New York County (Manhattan) District Attorney Vance announced he would no longer criminally prosecute turnstile jumping, which is typically prosecuted under Penal Law 165.15 (“theft of services”).

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Find out what common things passengers often forget with ten unwritten rules about riding the NYC subway system.
  1. 1 Don't play music without headphones.
  2. 2 Standers Leave First. ...
  3. 3 Don't have phone calls on the train. ...
  4. 4 If Possible, Help Those Who Are Lost. ...
  5. 5 Don't block the doors during stops. ...


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