MTA Approves Fare Hike and $1.27B Subway Car Purchase

The transit agency plans a 4% fare increase in 2025 while moving forward with new congestion pricing and major infrastructure investments.

The MTA Board approved a $19.9 billion operating budget for 2025, including plans for a 4% fare increase for subway, bus, and rail services, effective in the second half of 2025.
A $1.27 billion purchase of 435 new subway cars, including 80 European-style 'open-gangway' models, was also approved, with the first cars set to debut in 2025.
The congestion pricing plan, starting January 5, 2025, will charge vehicles $9 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street during peak hours, with revenue allocated to infrastructure projects.
Critics argue that fare hikes and tolls burden commuters while highlighting inefficiencies and high costs in the MTA's operations compared to other transit systems.
The MTA defends the fare and toll increases as part of a long-term strategy to avoid steep, infrequent rate hikes and to fund system improvements, including new dual-mode locomotives for the Long Island Rail Road.