MTA Long Island Rail Road
New York, NY · NTD ID 20100 · 2024 report year
MTA Long Island Rail Road carries 97.2 million passenger trips a year on commuter rail service — making it the 10th-busiest transit operator in the United States. It is based in New York, NY.
It spends $2.21 billion a year running that service, or $22.76 per trip. Its commuter rail service, the largest of its modes, costs $22.76 per rider — 49% below the $44.41 median for the 27 US agencies reporting commuter rail.
Over the 10 years reported, ridership remains 15% below its 2019 level, the last full year before the pandemic, and up 16% on 2023. Fares cover 29% of operating cost.
Service by mode, 2024
| Mode | Annual trips | Operating expense | Cost per rider | vs national median | Farebox | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commuter Rail#1 of 27 nationally | 97,220,517 | $2.21 billion | $22.76 | -49% | 29% | 1,082 |
Ridership, 2015–2024
| Year | Annual trips | Operating expense (2024 $) | Cost per rider (2024 $) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 97,220,517 | $2.21 billion | $22.76 |
| 2023 | 83,835,706 | $2.20 billion | $26.22 |
| 2022 | 81,613,697 | $1.72 billion | $21.04 |
| 2021 | 49,167,557 | $1.70 billion | $34.64 |
| 2020 | 43,484,907 | $1.77 billion | $40.82 |
| 2019 | 114,241,364 | $1.85 billion | $16.19 |
| 2018 | 105,538,101 | $1.85 billion | $17.55 |
| 2017 | 103,630,405 | $1.74 billion | $16.82 |
| 2016 | 103,196,857 | $1.71 billion | $16.58 |
| 2015 | 98,699,512 | $1.71 billion | $17.31 |
Where MTA Long Island Rail Road ranks
- Cheapest Commuter Rail Systems by Cost per Rider #5 of 24
- Most Expensive Commuter Rail Systems by Cost per Rider #20 of 24
- Highest-Ridership Commuter Rail Systems #1 of 27
- Best Farebox Recovery Among Commuter Rail Systems #5 of 24
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Ask NTD about MTA Long Island Rail Road →Source & method. Figures are from the Federal Transit Administration's National Transit Database (NTD) annual reporting for 2024, the most recent published report year. Cost per rider is operating expense divided by unlinked passenger trips. Farebox recovery is fare revenue divided by operating expense. Ten-year trends are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; single-year figures are as reported. Agencies self-report to the NTD, and reporting practice varies, so figures are best read as comparable in magnitude rather than to the cent.