Find out how much it costs to ride the subway, the bus, Long Island Rail Road, and Metro-North in the New York area, how transfers work, your options for reduced fares, and where to buy tickets or a MetroCard.

Subways and buses

  • Fare for most riders on subways and local, limited, and Select Bus Service buses: $2.75.
  • Express buses cost $6.75.
  • Pay with a MetroCard, or use contactless payment with OMNY.

Railroads: LIRR and Metro-North

  • Off peak fares are in effect at all times through the end of February 2022.
  • Buying tickets on your phone is the most convenient option.

Toll information

We operate seven bridges and two tunnels in New York City. Looking for information about bridge and tunnel tolls?

About subway and bus fares

  • Riding the subway costs $2.75 for most riders. People with disabilities or who are 65 or older are eligible for a reduced fare.
  • An unlimited ride MetroCard can save you money. These give you unlimited swipes for a certain length of time.
  • MetroCards cost $1. All cards except for the Single Ride card are refillable.
  • Up to three children under 44 inches tall ride for free when they’re with a fare-paying adult.
  • You pay the fare at turnstiles before you board the train. You don’t have to do anything after.
  • Set up EasyPayXpress to refill your MetroCard automatically. EasyPay is available for pay-per-ride and unlimited cards.
  • MetroCards can be used with our regional transit partners: PATH, AirTrain JFK, NICE Bus (Nassau Inter-County Express), Westchester Bee-Line Buses, and the Roosevelt Island Tram.

Types of MetroCards and what they cost

Pay-Per-Ride

Cost per swipe: $2.75.

You put a dollar value on the card and pay $2.75 at the beginning of each trip. The minimum balance for new cards is $5.50, the cost of two swipes.

You can combine time and value on the same MetroCard. Time will always be used first. Value will become available the time on your card runs out. PATH, AirTrain, and Express buses will always deduct from the value on your card.

7-Day or 30-Day Unlimited

Cost: $33 (7-day) or $127 (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.

You can combine time and value on the same MetroCard. Time will always be used first. Value will become available the time on your card runs out. PATH, AirTrain, and Express buses will always deduct from the value on your card.

7-Day Unlimited Express Bus Plus

Cost: $62.

You have unlimited swipes on express buses, local buses, and the subway for 7 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.

Single Ride

Cost: $3.

These are only available at ticket machines. They aren’t refillable. These are useful if you don’t want to put the $5.50 minimum on a pay-per-ride card.

You cannot transfer between the subway and the bus with this fare. If you’re transferring between buses, ask the driver for a paper transfer when you board the first bus.

Student MetroCards

Schools distribute MetroCards that let eligible students get to and from school and school-related activities. As with regular MetroCards, Student MetroCards allow for a free transfer between the subway and local/limited/Select Bus services, or a free transfer between buses

You can use your card for three rides each school day, between 5:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. Student MetroCards are good for one semester.

Reduced Fare

Cost: 50% of the base fare.

Riders who are 65 or older and riders with qualifying disabilities can apply for a reduced fare card.

JFK-AirTrain 30-Day Unlimited Ride

Cost: $40.

These are good for unlimited JFK-AirTrain trips until midnight, 30 days from first use.

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.

JFK-AirTrain 10-Trip

Cost: $25.

These are good for 10 JFK AirTrain trips until midnight, 30 days from first use.

You can buy these only at MetroCard Vending Machines in Howard Beach and Jamaica Air Train stations.

AAR MetroCard

The AAR MetroCard gives Paratransit customers four free trips a day using the subways, local buses, Select Bus Service (SBS), and Staten Island Railway (SIR).

A day is a 24-hour calendar day, from midnight to 11:59 p.m. Like any other MetroCard, you get an automatic free transfer between the subway and a local bus route, SIR and a local bus, or between two local bus routes.