- CityTicket
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CityTicket is a program that was instituted on January 10, 2004 by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York.[1] 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 $3.50 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.
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
References
- ^ "CityTicket Begins Tomorrow on LIRR And Metro-North" (Press release). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2004-01-09. http://mta.info/mta/news/releases/?en=040109. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
External links
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