CityTicket
Encyclopedia
CityTicket is a program that was instituted on January 10, 2004 by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
of New York. It allows weekend travel on the Metro-North Railroad
or the Long Island Rail Road
(LIRR) between any two points within the borders of New York City
, for a reduced $3.75 fare. Tickets are sold on Saturdays and Sundays for same-day travel only. A grace period allows for tickets to be used until 4:00 AM the following day.
On the LIRR, CityTicket can be used for trips within Zone 1 (City Terminal Zone
) or between Zones 1 and 3, including a change of trains at Jamaica
station for travel continuing in the same direction. The fare for travel within Zone 3 is $3 on a regular off-peak ticket, and thus CityTicket saves no money within this zone.
On Metro-North, CityTicket can be used for trips on Hudson Line
and Harlem Line
trains in the Bronx
and Manhattan
.
CityTicket is not valid for travel to the Far Rockaway
station (in zone 4), because the line passes through Nassau County
. It is also not valid for travel to the Belmont Park station, which is only open for special events. Metro-North's CityTicket is not valid on New Haven Line trains between Manhattan and Fordham
station, as trips between those stations are not permitted on the New Haven Line.
Mayor Bloomberg is currently proposing that CityTicket be extended throughout the week, and not solely on the weekends, thus adding a vastly more convenient and affordable means of transit, with current on-peak travel reaching as high as $8.00 for a ticket bought at a Station and $14.00 for a ticket bought on-board. However, while making a trip vastly cheaper, there is still no means of free transfer between Metro-North Railroad and the Long Island Rail Road with the New York City Subway
, and some commuters might still prefer to take a bus to a subway station and remain in the Subway system for the flat rate of $2.25. In contrast, the total cost of a trip on either railroad and then a transfer to the subway would be $5.75.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York)
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York is a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the U.S...
of New York. It allows weekend travel on the Metro-North Railroad
Metro-North Railroad
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, or, more commonly, Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service that is run and managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , an authority of New York State. It is the busiest commuter railroad in the United...
or the Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
(LIRR) between any two points within the borders of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, for a reduced $3.75 fare. Tickets are sold on Saturdays and Sundays for same-day travel only. A grace period allows for tickets to be used until 4:00 AM the following day.
On the LIRR, CityTicket can be used for trips within Zone 1 (City Terminal Zone
City Terminal Zone
The City Terminal Zone is the name given to a collection of rail lines of the Long Island Rail Road in New York City. Specifically, it refers to all stations that lie in fare zone 1 , which is the set of stations west of Jamaica.-Stations:- Routes : There are three routes that are considered part...
) or between Zones 1 and 3, including a change of trains at Jamaica
Jamaica (LIRR station)
Jamaica is a major hub station of the Long Island Rail Road, and is located in Jamaica, Queens, New York City. It is the largest transit hub on Long Island and is one of the busiest railroad stations in the country with over 200,000 daily passengers...
station for travel continuing in the same direction. The fare for travel within Zone 3 is $3 on a regular off-peak ticket, and thus CityTicket saves no money within this zone.
On Metro-North, CityTicket can be used for trips on Hudson Line
Hudson Line (Metro-North)
Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line is a commuter rail line running north from New York City along the east shore of the Hudson River. Metro-North service ends at Poughkeepsie, with Amtrak's Empire Corridor trains continuing north to and beyond Albany...
and Harlem Line
Harlem Line (Metro-North)
Metro-North's Harlem Line, originally chartered as the New York & Harlem Railroad, is an 82-mile commuter rail line running north from New York City into eastern Dutchess County...
trains in the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
and Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.
CityTicket is not valid for travel to the Far Rockaway
Far Rockaway (LIRR station)
Far Rockaway is the terminus of the Long Island Rail Road's Far Rockaway Branch in the Far Rockaway neighborhood of Queens in New York City...
station (in zone 4), because the line passes through Nassau County
Nassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
. It is also not valid for travel to the Belmont Park station, which is only open for special events. Metro-North's CityTicket is not valid on New Haven Line trains between Manhattan and Fordham
Fordham (Metro-North station)
The Fordham Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of the Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx, New York via the Harlem Line and New Haven Line. It is the only Harlem Line stop in the Bronx that is an express station. It is 8.9 miles from Grand Central Terminal...
station, as trips between those stations are not permitted on the New Haven Line.
Mayor Bloomberg is currently proposing that CityTicket be extended throughout the week, and not solely on the weekends, thus adding a vastly more convenient and affordable means of transit, with current on-peak travel reaching as high as $8.00 for a ticket bought at a Station and $14.00 for a ticket bought on-board. However, while making a trip vastly cheaper, there is still no means of free transfer between Metro-North Railroad and the Long Island Rail Road with the New York City Subway
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
, and some commuters might still prefer to take a bus to a subway station and remain in the Subway system for the flat rate of $2.25. In contrast, the total cost of a trip on either railroad and then a transfer to the subway would be $5.75.
Fare history
- $2.50, upon introduction
- $3.00, March 5, 2005
- $3.25, March 1, 2008
- $3.50, June 17, 2009
- $3.75, December 30, 2010