MTA proposes fare hike and major changes to mobile ticketing app
The MTA has proposed an average fare hike of 4.4% for Long Island Rail Road riders, as well as a 7.5% increase in tolls on MTA bridges and tunnels.
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Commuters across the region could soon see their travel costs rise, as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) moves forward with a series of proposed fare and toll increases — along with significant changes to its mobile ticketing system.
The MTA has proposed an average fare hike of 4.4% for Long Island Rail Road riders, as well as a 7.5% increase in tolls on MTA bridges and tunnels.
But perhaps the most talked-about change isn’t the price itself — it’s how riders will pay.
A major overhaul is coming to the MTA’s TrainTime mobile app. Under the proposed plan, mobile tickets would be automatically activated upon purchase, rather than giving riders the option to activate them manually. Additionally, instead of being valid for 60 days, the new tickets would expire within just four hours of purchase.
The MTA says these updates are aimed at preventing fare evasion. Currently, some riders wait to activate their ticket only when they see a conductor approaching, a loophole the agency wants to close.
Transit advocates, however, say the change could unfairly penalize riders when delays or cancellations occur.
“We have concerns about that because what happens if the train, midway in the route, gets canceled?” said Charlton D’Souza, of the advocacy group Passengers United. “That happens a lot — service outages, people get stranded. We feel the ticket should be valid for 30 days.”
To sweeten the deal for digital commuters, the MTA is also planning to roll out a promotional discount. Riders who purchase 10 tickets within a 14-day period will receive the 11th ticket free — but only through the mobile app.
All of the proposed changes still require approval from the MTA Board, which is expected to vote on the plan this fall. If passed, the fare hikes and mobile ticketing updates would go into effect in January 2026.
