New Yorkers aren’t too pleased after hearing about latest subway fare hike: 'I still see rats'

Zohran Mamdani might have only recently taken the oath of a New York City mayor, but he already has some big problems that need to be solved. One of them is the cost of public transportation, more specifically, the subway. For thousands of New Yorkers, the subway is one of the most crucial services the city provides. However, a recent price hike has left them frustrated, considering the condition of the subway stations across the city.

The internet is rife with funny videos of the things that go on in the subway in New York, but for those who have to take the train to work and back, it’s not funny. Sometimes, it is simply frustrating. What has recently added to that frustration is the fact that it now costs $3 in the city to take the subway, up from $2.90. While it is only 10 cents, the people are not happy, as per a report in Gothamist.

For $3, people expect cleanliness and quality service, neither of which the New York subway can deliver just yet. As per the report, the MTA board has opted to increase fares incrementally every two years rather than waiting longer and hitting riders with a double-digit hike. These price hikes are to combat inflation and rising operational costs. New Yorkers understand this, but they’re still quite frustrated about the matter.

“It sucks, but I get why they’re doing it. [But] I think affordability is a big thing these days, right? If things aren’t affordable, people are going to complain, and I think they have a right to,” a commuter named Arun Lakshman said. He’s one of thousands who feel that way. For a lot of people, the cost of taking a subway train is the same as having a meal, which leaves them with a serious predicament.

“ I've been living in New York for going on 50 years now, and for all the fare increases, I think the subway service is lackluster at best,” said Tom Nimen, a commuter. “There were times I could not afford that. There were times I used to choose between food and a subway fare. I’m not in that situation anymore, but others are not.” Other commuters simply did not believe that $3 was worth taking the subway.

“ I just feel like that if you're gonna pay $3, we better have world-class service now. I still see rats on the subway. I still see a lot of track work being done,” said another commuter named Ian Ward. The subway’s performance has improved of late as Gov. Kathy Hochul released data showing that trains were on time 83.7% of the time on the average weekday in 2025, up 2.1% from a year earlier. On weekends, trains were on time 86.6% of the time, up 2.4%.

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