Is the Roosevelt Island Tram MetroCard unlimited?

Roosevelt Island Tram Tickets For adults, the ride costs just $2.90 each way. Those with an unlimited MetroCard won't have to pay anything. For a round-trip cost of just $5.80 for an adult, this is an awesome deal for an incredible view!



As of early 2026, the status of the Roosevelt Island Tram in relation to the MetroCard is in a state of transition because the physical MetroCard is being retired. By January 1, 2026, the MTA officially stopped refilling or selling new MetroCards, though they are still accepted at the turnstiles until later this year. To answer the core question: Yes, a valid "Unlimited Ride" pass (7-day or 30-day) used to cover the Tram, and its successor, OMNY, maintains this feature. Under the current 2026 fare system, once you hit the $35 weekly fare cap using "Tap and Ride" (OMNY) with your phone or credit card, the Roosevelt Island Tram becomes effectively unlimited and free for the rest of that 7-day period. If you still have an unexpired "Unlimited MetroCard" that you bought before the January cutoff, you must begin using it by March 31, 2026, to receive the full days of unlimited rides on the subways, buses, and the Tram. After that date, the Tram will move exclusively to the OMNY system, which mirrors the unlimited benefit through its "Best Fare" capping technology.

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Top ways to experience The Roosevelt Island Tramway and nearby attractions. 93% of travelers recommend this experience. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. 92% of travelers recommend this experience.

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Roosevelt Island's biggest transportation attraction is the Roosevelt Island Tram. For the price of a MetroCard swipe, you can rise 250 feet above the East River and be transported between Roosevelt Island and Manhattan in just four minutes!

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Roosevelt Island Tram Tickets For adults, the ride costs just $2.90 each way. Those with an unlimited MetroCard won't have to pay anything. For a round-trip cost of just $5.80 for an adult, this is an awesome deal for an incredible view!

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On Roosevelt Island, which was developed as a middle-class neighborhood from the ruins of prisons and hospitals, affordable housing was plentiful, thanks to state programs that awarded public subsidies to apartment buildings in exchange for keeping rents low.

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Roosevelt Island can be reached via the Q102 bus from Queens. RIOC also provides the Red Bus, which is free and makes convenient stops throughout the island. Strollers and shopping carts must be folded upon request of the bus operator.

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Roosevelt Island has several methods for getting around without using your feet (too much). The Roosevelt Island Red Bus is quite convenient, stopping at both the subway and the Tram, and continuing along a loop around the island. A schedule and list of stops can be found HERE.

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The F-Train links Roosevelt Island to Queens and Manhattan.

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You can buy MetroCards by using a MetroCard ticket machine, which are in most subway stations. MetroCards are also available at selected local merchants, at our mobile service vehicles, and through employers with pre-tax transit benefits programs.

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Check out this 4.5-mile loop trail near New York City, New York. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 1 h 21 min to complete. This is a popular trail for running and walking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day.

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A single ticket to ride the Roosevelt Island Cable Car is $2.75, the same as a ticket to ride the New York subway. If you plan to use public transportation regularly to get around the city, I recommend that you purchase the MetroCard, a rechargeable card valid for the subway, bus and Roosevelt Cable Car.

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A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in USA) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are called tramways or simply trams/streetcars.

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Explanation: The smooth steel surface can be slippery and dangerous for motorcyclists, especially when it's wet. Try to cross tram lines at right angles.

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Last September, about 100 passengers were trapped when a power failure halted the two cars for about an hour. No one was injured. The tram opened in 1976. It travels 3,100 feet at 16 mph, making the trip in five minutes.

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Roosevelt Island is part of Manhattan, but it can feel as if it's a world away. It takes a MetroCard swipe to get a lift on the Roosevelt Island Tram, which tracks along the Queensboro Bridge. The F train, Q102 bus, and NYC Ferry also transport neighbors and visitors to the spot in the East River.

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Blackwell's Island, now known as Roosevelt Island, has a deep connection to disability and incarceration. For much of the early 1900s, New Yorkers nicknamed the island Welfare Island after the asylums, prisons, and almshouses that were built there.

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