In 2022, the number of passengers transported on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) network amounted to approximately 1.3 billion. This was still well below its passenger numbers before the COVID-19 pandemic, which exceeded 2.5 billion passengers. Passenger numbers had already seen a slow decline in the years leading up to the pandemic.
Largest urban rail system in the U.S.
The MTA is the corporation responsible for public transit in the New York City metropolitan area, and it operates the largest heavy rail system in the U.S., together with local and express buses, and a bus rapid transit system.
In 2022, the New York subway transported more than 17-times as many passengers as the second-largest network in the U.S. in Chicago, Illinois.
High fares for commuter rail
Commuter rail accounted for some of the highest median cost of monthly transport passes in the U.S. in 2022. The median rail commuter paid 137.50 U.S. dollars for their monthly pass. Commuter bus passes also ranged among the most expensive passes at a median cost of 95 U.S. dollars.
Annual number of paid passengers transported by the New York City transit authority (MTA) from 2012 to 2022
(in millions)
The MTA network ridership figures include the NYC Transit Subway, NCY Transit Bus, MTA Bus Company, MTA Staten Island Rail Road, MTA Long Island Rail Road, MTA Metro-North Railroad, and MTA Bridges and Tunnels.
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MTA New York City Transit. (April 28, 2023). Annual number of paid passengers transported by the New York City transit authority (MTA) from 2012 to 2022 (in millions) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 21, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1293901/new-york-city-mta-network-total-annual-ridership/
MTA New York City Transit. "Annual number of paid passengers transported by the New York City transit authority (MTA) from 2012 to 2022 (in millions) ." Chart. April 28, 2023. Statista. Accessed December 21, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1293901/new-york-city-mta-network-total-annual-ridership/
MTA New York City Transit. (2023). Annual number of paid passengers transported by the New York City transit authority (MTA) from 2012 to 2022 (in millions) . Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 21, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1293901/new-york-city-mta-network-total-annual-ridership/
MTA New York City Transit. "Annual Number of Paid Passengers Transported by The New York City Transit Authority (Mta) from 2012 to 2022 (in Millions) ." Statista, Statista Inc., 28 Apr 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1293901/new-york-city-mta-network-total-annual-ridership/
MTA New York City Transit, Annual number of paid passengers transported by the New York City transit authority (MTA) from 2012 to 2022 (in millions) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1293901/new-york-city-mta-network-total-annual-ridership/ (last visited December 21, 2024)
Annual number of paid passengers transported by the New York City transit authority (MTA) from 2012 to 2022 (in millions) [Graph], MTA New York City Transit, April 28, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1293901/new-york-city-mta-network-total-annual-ridership/
