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
- Peak fares are now in effect on all peak LIRR and Metro-North trains.
- Buying tickets on your phone is the most convenient option.
Check out our fare discounts
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.
- Some Unlimited MetroCards are protected against loss or theft. See details about our Balance Protection Program below.
- 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.
- OMNY now has a fare capping option. Take 12 paid OMNY trips with the same device or card starting Monday, and you’ll automatically ride free for the rest of the week through Sunday. Learn more.
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.
There is also an EasyPay option for pay-per-ride MetroCards, which automatically refills your MetroCard when the balance is low. Please note that as of June 16, 2022, we will no longer accept new applications for full-fare EasyPay MetroCards. Learn more.
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.
There is also an EasyPay option for 30-day Unlimited MetroCards, which automatically refills your card. Please note that as of June 16, 2022, we will no longer accept new applications for full-fare EasyPay MetroCards. Learn more.
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.
There is also an EasyPay Reduced Fare option for automatic refills.
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.
How transfers work
Transfers with a MetroCard
Transfers get encoded on your card when you swipe it. Make sure to use the same MetroCard when you’re transferring so you’re not charged twice.
- With a pay-per-ride card: You get one free transfer within two hours of swiping your MetroCard. You can transfer from subway to bus, bus to subway, or bus to bus. Note: You can’t transfer to an express bus unless you have a 7-Day Unlimited Express Bus Plus MetroCard.
- With pay-per-ride for multiple people: Swipe the same MetroCard once and the turnstile will let everyone through.
- With an unlimited card: You have unlimited swipes, so you don’t have to worry about transfers.
Transfers with OMNY
- You get one free transfer within two hours of tapping your card or device.
- Use the same card or device throughout your trip. Your transfer will be recorded automatically.
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Each paid trip with OMNY counts once toward the weekly fare cap.
About paratransit fares
Access-A-Ride is our paratransit service. The fare for any transportation is $2.75.
You can read more about the program, apply, make reservations, and more.