Metrocard Cost Comparison for 2011
I ride the subway to work everyday. I bet some of you do too. I also bet that you, like me, are wondering if you should continue buying a monthly unlimited card after the fare increase (official PDF from MTA). Hopefully this will help you.
The table below compares the cost of monthly vs. single for 42 to 52 rides with the ability to enter your own value at the bottom. In an average month, a daily commuter will ride the subway about 42 times (21 work days, roundtrip). At the 2009-10 rates, the monthly was worth it after 46 rides. After December 30th, 2011, it will be worth it after 50 rides. It seems like a small difference, but don't forget the pay-per-ride bonus was lowered.
| New Price ($104/mo.) | Old Price ($89/mo.) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trips | Single Cost | Diff vs. Monthly | Single Cost | Diff vs. Monthly |
Notes: Prior to December 30th, riders got a 15% bonus when adding more than $10 to their Metrocard. In 2011, they only get 7%. This means it used to cost $1.96 for a ride and will cost $2.10. If the MTA had kept the 15% bonus, the new breakpoint would have been 55 rides instead of 50. It's also worth noting that a new Metrocard will cost you $1 starting in the middle of 2011. The MTA has provided a PDF of the full fare changes.