LIRR Fare Hikes Affect 3 Plainview-Area Stations

Fare hikes on the The Long Island Rail Road took affect Thursday that will cost Plainview area riders more on trips from Hicksville, Bethpage and Syosset.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority implemented the 7.5 percent fare hikes Thursday on the same week it suffered massive service disruptions in the wake of the weekend blizzard. 

A weekly ticket from any of the three Plainview-area stations, Hicksville, Syosset or Bethpage, will cost $81.25. The monthly trip is $254. All three stations are in the LIRR's  "Zone 7."

The fare during peak hours, one way, is $11.50. One-way off-peak runs $8.25. 

The MTA said the increases are needed to plug a $900 million budget gap. The increases were approved in October.

Commuters who went without service for nearly two days this weekend were angered by the big fare hikes:

"Today's best LIRR moment was being greeted by a notice about the upcoming fare increase placed on the seat of my morning train from Smithtown," said Patch reader Kevin. "I guess that was the LIRR's way of saying thank you for taking away all of the Port Jefferson trains so they could run them on other lines."

Here's a chart containing the new rates:

Monthly:

Weekly: 

Peak Ten-Trip

Off-Peak Ten-Trip

Peak One-Way

Off-Peak One-Way

Sr. Cit/Disabled/M'care One-Way

Onboard Peak One-Way

Onboard Off Peak One-Way

* includes Hicksville, Bethpage and Syosset stations.

$254

$81.25

$115

$70.25

$11.50

$8.25

$5.75

$18

$14