The cost of a single trip on the PATH train is expected to rise by $1 over the next four years, Port Authority officials announced Thursday.
A single ride on the PATH currently costs $3. The fare is slated to go up by 25 cents in the spring of 2026, and another quarter each year through 2029, when the cost to ride will reach $4.
The cost to drive through the Port Authority's bridges and tunnels will also go up in 2027, as the agency plans to phase out off-peak discounts offered to E-ZPass riders.
The Port Authority board is expected to formally approve the plan next month.
The hefty increases come on the heels of elections on both sides of the Hudson River where affordability proved to be a central focus. New Jersey Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill has vowed to tackle high costs in the Garden State, particularly rising utility costs. And New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani ran a campaign that promised to rein in costs by, among other things, making the MTA's buses free to ride.
Officials said the fare hike will coincide with expanded service and improvements.
Starting in March, service on the Journal Square-33rd St via Hoboken line will double between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. with trains arriving every 10 minutes, rather than the current 20 minutes. Trains between Hoboken and the World Trade Center will run every six minutes during morning rush hour, with 10 trains per hour.
In May, PATH trains from Hoboken to the World Trade Center and 33rd Street will run on weekends for the first time since 9/11.
The agency will also run trains every 20 minutes from 11:30 p.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday on all lines, rather than the current 40 minutes.
Officials said weekend service between Newark-World Trade Center and Hoboken-World Trade Center between 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., will run every 10-15 minutes by March 2027.
“Every decision we’ve made with PATH has been guided by one principle: Putting our riders first,” Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton wrote in a statement.
Two-thirds of the Port Authority’s budget is funded through fees paid by companies that lease space at its facilities. The $45 billion capital plan announced on Thursday includes airport upgrades, a new bus terminal and improvements to PATH trains. For comparison, the MTA’s current five-year capital plan was $68 billion.
Port Authority officials estimated removing the off-peak discounts for drivers could bring in an additional $75 million a year.
Port officials said they also plan to increase fees on taxis and for-hire vehicles at the three regional airports.
Correction: This story and its headline have been updated to correct how much a single PATH ride will cost next year. It will go up by 25 cents in 2026, bringing it to $3.25 a ride, and will cost $4 by 2029. The story has also been updated to clarify weekend service changes.
