Mar 19, 2015 3 min read

Subway And Bus Fare Hike Goes Into Effect On Sunday – MTA Bridge And Tunnel Tolls To Increase, Too

Walking is cheaper. But maybe not when your clothes are made of Metrocards. (Source: Atomische * Tom Giebel/Flickr) — Walking is cheaper. But maybe not when your clothes are made of Metrocards. Photo via Atomische * Tom Giebel/Flickr

Straphangers are going to be doling out more at the fare box, and motorists more at the toll booths, when the latest MTA hikes go into effect this Sunday.

On mass transit, fares will go up by 4 percent across the board, with the base fare rising from $2.50 to $2.75. Thirty-day Metrocards will increase in cost from $112 to $116.50. It will still cost $1 to purchase a new Metrocard, while single-fare buyers – those using the one-time use paper Metrocards – will see an increase from $2.75 to $3.00 to account for the 25-cent fee for the card.

Those who load up their Metrocards will see the bonus they get more than double, from 5 percent to 11 percent, but now they have to put on a minimum of $5.50 where it was previously $5.00.

Here’s a handy chart of all the changes on mass transit that take effect Sunday:

Fare Type	Current	New
Base MetroCard Fare/Local Bus Cash Fare	$2.50	$2.75
Bonus	5% with $5 purchase	11% with $5.50 purchase
Effective Fare with Bonus	$2.38	$2.48
Single Ride Ticket (base MetroCard/Cash Fare plus 25 cents)	$2.75	$3.00
Express Bus FareCashEffective MetroCard Fare with Bonus	$6.00 $5.71	$6.50 $5.86
30-Day MetroCard	$112	$116.50
7-Day MetroCard	$30.00	$31.00
7-Day Express Bus Plus MetroCard	$55.00	$57.25
Access-a-Ride Fare	$2.50	$2.75

Tolls on MTA bridges and tunnels are also jumping 4 percent at most crossings. The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge will increase to $16 from $15 for those using cash, and to $11.08 from $10.66 for E-ZPass users. The Marine Parkway – Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge is going up 25 cents for cash paying drivers, from $3.75 to $4.00, while E-ZPass users will dole out just 8 cents more than the $2 fee they’ve been paying.

Most bridges and tunnels in the city, including the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel, will pay $8 for cash motorists, up 50 cents, while E-ZPass users see an increase to $5.54 from $5.33.

Here’s a chart with the costs for all MTA crossings:

The latest hikes were approved in January, and follows the authority’s 2009 plan for hikes every two years to keep up with inflation and rising costs of employee benefits. The agency has cut $1.1 billion from its annual spending, and said they’re on track to hit their target of $1.6 billion in annual savings by 2018.

The MTA isn’t out of financial hot water, though. There’s currently a $15 billion funding gap to meet its five-year capital program estimated at $32 billion. The capital plan lays out the authority’s priorities to make necessary repairs, complete or launch new construction projects and improve service. Without additional funding from city and state budgets, the agency said they’ll be putting some of the work on hold to avoid service delays and crowded trains.