MTA Reduced-Fare Program

Cash & expenses | Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)

People with disabilities

Reduced MTA fares are available for anyone 65+ or with a qualifying disability.

Heads Up

  • Service|Reduced fare|Availability
  • Subway|$1.50|All times
  • Local buses, limited buses, Select Bus|$1.50|All times
  • Staten Island Railway|$1.50|All times
  • Express buses|$3.60|All times except 6-10 a.m. and 3-7 p.m. on weekdays
  • Long Island Rail Road|Up to 50% off peak fare|All times
  • Metro-North Railroad|Up to 50% off peak fare|All times
  • Reduced Fare weekly fare capOnce you spend a certain amount in a 7-day period, your remaining trips are free for that week
  • Subways and local buses: $17.50 max per week
  • Express buses (combined with any other fare): $67 max per weekHow to pay with Reduced FareWhen you apply for the Reduced Fare program, you'll select one payment method:
  • Reduced-Fare OMNY card,
  • Personal credit or debit card, or
  • Digital card on your phone
  • You can only use one payment method with your Reduced-Fare benefit, so make sure you're using the same card every time you ride. If you want to switch from a personal payment card to a Reduced-Fare OMNY card, call OMNY at 877-789-6669, 24/7. You can't switch back to a personal payment card once you have the Reduced-Fare card.
  • How to get your Reduced Fare railroad ticket
  • MTA TrainTime app: Activate your Reduced Fare ticket before boarding. If you don't activate, you'll be charged an $8 fee after two warnings.
  • Paper ticket from the conductor: Show one of the accepted documents at time of purchase.[anyc-accordion header="Documents accepted for Reduced Fare railroad tickets" call-to-action="" call-to-action-text=""inactive]
  • Driver’s license, passport, or government-issued non-driver ID
  • NYC Department of Aging ID card
  • Reduced-Fare OMNY Card or Reduced-Fare MetroCard
  • Birth certificate or Medicare card (from the Social Security Administration), with a different photo ID
  • Access-a-Ride card
  • NICE Able-Ride card
  • Bee-Line Para-transit card
  • Suffolk County Accessible Transportation card[/anyc-accordion] Important reminders
  • All tickets expire at 4 a.m. the next day (monthly and weekly passes don't expire)
  • Round-trip tickets are now sold as two separate one-way tickets — buy your return ticket when you're ready to leave, not in advance

    • Eligibility

    You qualify if any of the following apply:

  • Are 65 or older
  • Receive Medicare benefits for any reason other than age
  • Have a serious mental illness and receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • Have blindness
  • Have deafness or hearing loss
  • Have an ambulatory, cognitive, or other physical disability

    Required Documents

    Use any one of these to apply:

  • Driver's license from any state
  • Passport from any country
  • (https://access.nyc.gov/programs/idnyc/) IDNYC
  • Birth certificate (with a photo ID)
  • Medicare card (with a photo ID)

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