Starting the new year with higher fares and fewer ticket options sends a clear message to Long Island commuters: the MTA expects them to keep paying more while getting less in return. Beginning January 4, monthly and weekly LIRR ticket prices will rise, one-way fares will increase, MetroCards will be eliminated,  and riders will lose familiar options they have relied on for years, all as families continue to struggle with inflation and the rising cost of living. 

Beginning January 4, monthly and weekly LIRR ticket prices will rise, one-way fares will increase, the 10-trip off-peak ticket will be eliminated, tickets will expire within 24 hours, and MetroCards will be phased out. Riders will also face penalties for failing to activate tickets before boarding, all as families continue to struggle with inflation and the rising cost of living.

Even as the MTA continues with congestion pricing, Long Island commuters are facing fare hikes and fewer ticket options with no clear improvement in service or reliability. Rather than delivering meaningful service improvements or infrastructure upgrades, the MTA is once again shifting the burden of years of fiscal mismanagement onto hardworking riders who have little choice but to rely on public transit.

Long Islanders deserve accountability, transparency, and responsible leadership, not another round of price hikes to start the new year. Until the MTA gets its finances under control, commuters should not be forced to pay the price for its failures.