The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) fares and tolls increases have gone in effect today. Fare and toll increase details follow for each of the MTA’s services:

From our earlier report:

New York City Subway, Buses in New York City, Staten Island Railway & Access-A-Ride

New fare rates for subways, buses, Staten Island Railway (SIR) and Access-A-Ride will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, March 3.

The base fare for subways, local buses, SIR and Access-A-Ride is rising to $2.50 from $2.25; the base fare for express buses is rising to $6.00 from $5.50. The pay-per-ride bonus discount will be reduced to 5% from 7%, but will now be available for adding as little as $5 onto a MetroCard, down from $10 previously. A Single Ride Ticket purchased from MetroCard Vending Machines is rising to $2.75 from $2.50.

The 30-day unlimited-ride MetroCard will cost $112, up from $104. The 7-day unlimited-ride MetroCard will cost $30, up from $29. The 7-day express bus plus MetroCard will cost $55, up from $50. Unlimited-ride MetroCards purchased on March 2 or earlier must be activated by Sunday, March 10, to obtain full value. Those activated after that date will allow travel through April 9 for 30-day cards and March 17 for 7-day cards. Any remaining time will be refunded on a pro-rated basis.

A $1 fee will be charged for each new MetroCard purchased at a MetroCard Vending Machine or station booth. At commuter rail stations, the $1 card fee will be applied to MetroCards providing bus and/or subway travel only; the $1 fee will not be applied to Joint Rail MetroCards providing subway, bus and commuter rail service. Customers can avoid this fee by keeping their MetroCard and refilling it at any vending machine or station booth. MetroCards now can be refilled with any combination of unlimited-ride time and/or pay-per-ride dollars. Customers turning in an expired or damaged card will be provided a new card at no charge. There are also exemptions for those who buy cards at out-of-system merchants or participate in the EasyPayXpress program or a pre-tax benefit program.

More information about fares on subways, buses and SIR can be found here: http://mta.info/nyct/fare/NewFares.htm

Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad

New fares will go into effect on the LIRR and Metro-North on Friday, March 1, for monthly, one-way, round-trip, and 10-trip ticket holders. For those using weekly tickets, which are always valid from Saturday through the following Friday, new fares take effect on Saturday, March 2.

On average, most commuter rail tickets will increase between 8.2% and 9.3%, depending on ticket type and distance traveled. The discounted CityTicket fare for one-way weekend travel within New York City will rise to $4.00 from $3.75, starting March 2.

More information about fares on the Long Island Rail Road can be found here:
http://mta.info/lirr/about/TicketInfo/LIRRFares.htm

More information about fares on Metro-North Railroad can be found here:
http://www.mta.info/mnr/html/fares_new.htm

MTA Bridges and Tunnels

New toll rates on the seven bridges and two tunnels that are operated and maintained by the MTA will go into effect at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 3. At most crossings, tolls are rising to $5.33 from $4.80 for E-ZPass customers and to $7.50 from $6.50 for cash customers. 

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When tolls increase at MTA’s seven bridges and two tunnels at 2 AM on Sunday, March 3rd motorists can save both time and money just by using E-ZPass. Cash tolls at most MTA crossings will rise to $7.50 while the same trip will cost $5.33 for most E-ZPass users, a savings of $2.17 each trip.

A complete list of car, truck and motorcycle crossing charges can be found here.

To start saving all you have to do is open an E-ZPass account with one of the four tolling agencies that make up the New York E-ZPass Customer Service Center (MTA, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, New York State Thruway Authority and New York Bridge Authority). Anyone from any state can open an account with the New York E-ZPass Customer Service Center.

Customers can pick up a pre-paid E-ZPass On-the-Go tag for $30 in any cash lane at MTA crossings or at hundreds of retail locations throughout the region. Once purchased, $20 can be used immediately for tolls. A $10 tag deposit will become available for tolls once the account is linked to a credit card. Motorists have 48 hours after it is first used to register.

Prefer cash? You can still use cash and control how much and when to replenish your

E-ZPass account by using the MTA Cash Reload Card. Call the New York E-ZPass Customer Service Center, request a card and go to one of 2,500 Visa ReadyLink locations where you can replenish an account with as little as $20. Funds can be used in 24 hours.

MTA has negotiated a lower merchant fee of $1-$2 at hundreds of preferred locations. To find one look it up here and to learn more about the MTA Cash Reload card click here.

E-ZPass users who don’t like pre-paying for tolls, maintaining a minimum balance or supplying a credit card can also choose MTA Pay Per Trip where tolls are deducted from your bank account once the trip is taken using the Automated Clearing House (ACH) system. 

For information about all of the MTA’s new E-ZPass options, call the New York E-ZPass Customer Service Center at 1-800 333-TOLL or visit the website at http://mta.info/mta/news/releases/www.ezpassny.com. TLS.