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Everything you need to know about fares and tolls in New York

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.

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.
  • 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

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.

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.

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.

See details about Student MetroCards.

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.

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.

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.

Read more about AAR MetroCards.

A young girl stands near a sign saying,

Up to three kids under 44 inches tall ride free when they're with an adult who paid the fare.

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.

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.