Transportation & Mobility · Surprise rank #442
65+ or Qualifying Disability? Pay $1.50 on NYC Subways and Local Buses
MTA Reduced-Fare cuts subway, Staten Island Railway and local/limited/Select Bus fares to $1.50 for riders age 65+ or with a qualifying disability. Reduced-fare riders also receive discounted railroad fares and OMNY fare-capping.
Who
People age 65 or older and people with an MTA-qualifying disability, including certain visual, hearing, ambulatory, cognitive and other disabilities.
Where: MTA New York City Transit, Staten Island Railway, LIRR and Metro-North service.
What to do
Start here: Apply in person at an MTA Customer Service Center/mobile sales location or by mail. If you are 65+, an in-person application can generally produce the Reduced-Fare OMNY card the same day.
Eligibility: Age 65+ with accepted ID, or a qualifying disability with required documentation. The MTA reviews disability applications.
What you get
The MTA Reduced-Fare program provides discounted transit fares and a Reduced-Fare OMNY card to eligible older adults and riders with qualifying disabilities.
Benefit: $1.50 subway, Staten Island Railway and local/limited/Select Bus Service fares; $3.60 express-bus reduced fare outside weekday peak periods; and up to 50% off the full one-way peak fare on LIRR and Metro-North.
Possible value: A rider making 20 local subway/bus trips in a month saves about $30 versus the $3 base fare; frequent riders can save more, especially with reduced-fare OMNY fare-capping.
Good to know
Important: The online Reduced-Fare application is currently unavailable. Express-bus reduced fares do not apply during weekday peak periods, and mailed applications may take longer during the OMNY transition.
Availability: Active; applications currently accepted in person or by mail.
Why people miss it: Eligible riders may keep paying full fare because they assume Medicare, age or disability discounts happen automatically.
Sources reviewed: Aug 10, 2026