MTA Plans Fare Increases for 2026

The MTA isn’t raising fares this year as originally planned, but it has been pushed to January 2026, when fare increases are still expected to begin. 

Some tolls may increase more than anticipated; for example, the RFK Bridge toll with EZ Pass could rise from $6.94 to $7.46, a roughly 7.5 percent increase. Subway and bus fares are also set to increase slightly, with the base fare changing from $2.90 to $3.00. 

The MTA board will vote on the final plan this fall, and if approved, the new prices will take effect on January 4, 2026. That’s also when MetroCards will be phased out. Currently, they are still the only option for purchasing a 30-day unlimited pass. The MTA plans to fully switch to OMNY, the tap-and-go system that works with phones or cards. 

The last fare hike occurred in August 2023, and before that increase, prices had remained unchanged for nearly a decade.