Older New Yorkers have four main ways to get around: half-fare rides on the subway and bus, Access-A-Ride for people whose disability keeps them off regular transit, free Medicaid rides to medical appointments, and local rides arranged through NYC Aging. Riders 65 and older pay half fare with a Reduced-Fare card, not nothing, and each program has its own application.
Which option fits which situation?
Start from what the person can actually do. Someone who can climb a few steps and wait at a stop may only need the discount card. Someone who cannot reach a station at all may need a different service for every trip.
| Option | Who it is for | Cost | How to start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reduced-Fare on subway and bus | Age 65 or older, or a qualifying disability | Half fare | Apply in person or by mail to the MTA |
| Access-A-Ride | People whose disability prevents using buses or subways | Same as the full subway or bus fare | Inquiry, paper application, in-person assessment |
| Medicaid transportation | Medicaid members going to Medicaid-covered medical visits | No cost to the member | Book through the state’s broker at least 72 hours ahead |
| NYC Aging rides and group trips | Age 60 or older | Ask the provider | Service Finder or Aging Connect |
Do seniors ride free in NYC?
No. The MTA’s Reduced-Fare program cuts the price in half for riders who are 65 or older or have a qualifying disability, but it does not make rides free. There is one built-in cap: with Reduced-Fare OMNY, after 12 fares in seven days, the rest of that week’s rides are free.
| Ride | Full fare | Reduced fare |
|---|---|---|
| Subway, Staten Island Railway, local, limited and Select Bus Service | $3.00 | $1.50 at all times |
| Express bus | $7.25 | $3.60 outside weekday peak periods (6 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 7 p.m.) |
How do I get a Reduced-Fare card?
On the day I checked, the MTA’s page said the online application was not currently available, so plan on applying in person or by mail. Riders 65 and older can often receive the card the same day when they apply in person, though some applications need extra review.
- Choose how to apply. In person, go to an MTA Customer Service Center in select subway stations, the Lower Manhattan center at 3 Stone Street on weekdays, or a Mobile Sales vehicle. By mail, use the application for people 65 and older or the one for people with disabilities.
- Bring a photo. By mail, include a passport-style photo, 2 by 1.5 inches.
- Bring proof of age. Accepted photo ID includes a driver’s license from any state, a passport, an IDNYC card, or a birth certificate with a photo ID. A Medicare card with photo ID also counts.
- Mail to the right address. MTA New York City Transit, Attn: Reduced Fare Program, 130 Livingston St, Brooklyn, NY 11201-9625. Mail applicants may wait up to three months.
Questions about the card go to the OMNY line at 877-789-6669, which the MTA lists as open 24 hours.
Who qualifies for Access-A-Ride and how do I apply?
Access-A-Ride is shared-ride paratransit for people whose disabilities prevent them from using public buses or subways. Age alone does not qualify anyone. It runs within the five boroughs and a three-quarter-mile corridor into nearby parts of Nassau and Westchester, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Submit an inquiry online or by phone. Language help and translation are free.
- Complete the paper application from the mailed packet and bring it to the assessment.
- Attend an in-person assessment. You meet a health professional for an interview, and functional testing may be part of it. Tell staff if you travel with a personal care attendant.
- Wait for the decision. Access-A-Ride says it decides within 21 days of the assessment.
Some riders get conditional eligibility, which means trips are allowed only when the disability prevents using the bus or subway. The MTA’s examples include stairs, extreme cold at 39 degrees or below, extreme heat at 90 degrees or above, and unfamiliar routes for someone with a cognitive or visual impairment. A denial or conditional decision can be appealed within 60 days. Full and conditional eligibility must be recertified every five years.
How do I book an Access-A-Ride trip?
You reserve one to two days ahead. Same-day trips are not available. Reservations are open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., online through MY AAR or the MTA app, or by phone at 877-337-2017 (choose your language, then option 2).
Have the Access-A-Ride ID number, the date, both addresses with cross streets, the pickup time or the appointment time, and whether a personal care attendant or guest is coming. Do this for the return trip as well. Cancel no later than two hours before pickup.
The fare matches the full subway and bus fare, paid in exact change to the operator. A personal care attendant rides free only if noted on the rider’s Access-A-Ride ID card. A guest pays the full fare.
Is there a discount for low-income New Yorkers?
Fair Fares NYC gives 50 percent off subway and eligible bus fares, and 50 percent off Access-A-Ride trips when the accounts are linked. Its 2026 household income limits start at $23,940 for one person and $32,460 for two. However, the page says the subway and bus discount is not available to New Yorkers who already receive reduced fare, and its eligibility checker is built around ages 18 to 64 and points others to the MTA Senior Citizen Program. Apply at nyc.gov/fairfares or call 311.
Does Medicaid pay for rides to the doctor?
Yes, for medical appointments. The state’s Medicaid transportation program says members can get to and from medical visits at no cost, through the broker Medical Answering Services. In New York City the downstate number is 844-666-6270, and trips must be approved at least 72 hours before the appointment. Modes include public transit, taxi or livery, ambulette and ambulance, and the state says the program does not cover non-medical trips such as pharmacies, gyms or grocery stores. For emergencies, call 911.
If you also use home care, read how Medicaid covers home care in New York, and if you are in a managed long term care plan, ask the plan how it handles rides.
What if stairs or long walks are the problem?
Not every subway station has an elevator. Before leaving, check the MTA’s elevator and escalator status page, and use the accessible-trip option on the MTA site to plan a route. The MTA lists accessible stations at mta.info/accessibility.
NYC Aging offers help too. For people 60 and older, it arranges rides to essential medical and social service appointments through community partners, but you need to lack transportation or be unable to use public transit. It also supports group trips, such as outings or supermarket shopping, which need at least five older adults. Find a local provider through the Service Finder on the NYC Aging transportation page or call Aging Connect at 212-244-6469.
Medical escort or Medicaid ride? Advice from our nurse director
Anna Klyauzova, RN, MSN, MPA, Director of Patient Services at ProLife Home Care, on what she sees in practice:
Most older New Yorkers get to appointments with a relative, a Medicaid ride or a regular taxi. The ride is rarely the hard part. The hard part is the visit: who helps at the front desk, finds the right office, explains the symptoms to the doctor and remembers what was said? That is tough for someone with dementia, limited mobility or limited English.
Medicaid transportation and Access-A-Ride get a person to the clinic. An escort stays with them. If your father walks slowly, forgets what the doctor said or gets lost in a big hospital, I would book an escort. Our Medical Escort service sends a trained home health aide (HHA) to the home, goes with the patient to the clinic, sits in on the appointment if the patient agrees, helps with the conversation, writes down the doctor’s instructions and brings the patient home. We can arrange the transport too. It is available in all five boroughs and Nassau County and is private pay.
The mistake I see most often with Medicaid rides is booking the wrong kind of vehicle, a regular car for someone who needs wheelchair transport, for example. Check the vehicle type, whether an escort is needed and the return trip ahead of time, and confirm the booking the day before.
We are a licensed home care agency in Brooklyn and Queens (New York State Department of Health licence #2572L001). To talk through personal care or an aide who can accompany a family member, call (718) 232-2777 or use our contact page.
Fares, phone numbers and procedures change. Everything above was checked on 9 October 2026 against mta.info, nyc.gov and the New York State Department of Health. The Department’s page blocks automated readers, so it was read through its mirror site. Confirm details with the MTA, Access-A-Ride or Medical Answering Services before relying on them.
Frequently asked questions
Do seniors ride free on the NYC subway and bus?
No. Riders 65 or older who have a Reduced-Fare card pay half fare, $1.50 on the subway and local buses when the base fare is $3. With Reduced-Fare OMNY, rides after the 12th fare in seven days are free.
How do I apply for the Reduced-Fare MetroCard or OMNY card?
Apply in person at an MTA Customer Service Center or Mobile Sales vehicle, or by mail with the application, a passport-style photo and proof of age. The MTA said the online application was not currently available when I checked.
How old do you have to be for Access-A-Ride?
There is no age requirement. Eligibility depends on a disability that prevents using buses or subways, decided through an in-person assessment.
How far ahead do I book Access-A-Ride?
One to two days ahead. Same-day trips are not available, and you can book from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily online, in the MTA app or at 877-337-2017.
Does Medicaid pay for rides to the doctor in NYC?
Yes, for Medicaid-covered medical appointments, at no cost to the member. Book through Medical Answering Services at 844-666-6270 at least 72 hours ahead.
Can my home care aide travel with me?
On Access-A-Ride, an aide rides free only if they are listed as the personal care attendant on your Access-A-Ride ID card. On the regular subway and bus, ask the MTA how an aide’s fare is handled. Escort services can also be arranged privately, for example through our medical escort service.
What rides does NYC Aging offer older adults?
For people 60 and older, rides to medical and social service appointments through community partners, plus group trips of at least five older adults. Use the Service Finder or call 212-244-6469.
