Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
MTA: Subway ridership surpasses 3 million for first time since omicron surge
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 9, 2022
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
SARAH YENESEL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 9, 2022
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
For the first time since the omicron-fueled surge of COVID-19 cases, the MTA's weekday subway ridership has hit 3 million.
On Tuesday, 3,004,655 customers took the subway and 6,247 customers took the Staten Island Railway, for a 3,010,902 total riders according to the MTA. The last time subway ridership was over 3 million was on December 17, 2021, when there were 3,118,492 total riders. The lowest weekday ridership during the omicron surge was on December 27, 2021, with 2,011,675 total riders.
The news came hours after Governor Kathy Hochul announced that she was lifting the state mask mandate on businesses, citing the decline in COVID cases and hospitalizations. In a statement, the governor said, "Let this ridership record be a clear signal – New York is coming out of the omicron surge and we have numbers to prove it."
Even with 3 million commuters, the MTA is still at around half of its pre-pandemic weekday ridership levels — those were trending closer to 60% before the omicron surge. With its fare revenue devastated by the pandemic, the agency has had to rely on $16 billion in federal relief money to keep going.
However, weekend subway traffic has been an encouraging sign. During a Tuesday night appearance on NY1's Inside City Hall, MTA Chairman Janno Lieber said. "Ridership is much stronger in the discretionary periods, on weekends and night times. It's in excess of 70 percent pre-COVID. So the message is when New Yorkers have somewhere to go they're comfortable using transit."
To lure subway riders back to the system, the MTA is rolling out its fare-capping pilot on the OMNY contactless payment system—rides are free after the 12th ride of the week — at the end of February.
Reporting from Stephen Nessen
Tagged
we the commuters
pandemic
MTA
subway
Ridership
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
These are the NYC neighborhoods that will get free 2-K next fall
All of Staten Island and the Bronx will be eligible for seats.
By
Karen Yi
Published Oct 19, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. ET
Modified Oct 19, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. ET
Early Addition: Get to know Wanda, the donkey in the Met's 'La Bohème'
Because she's 18 years old now, here are your early links: The RHONY castmember mentioned in the Epstein Files, killing rats with carbon monoxide, Selena Gomez says don't vape and more.
By
James Ramsay
News
Early Addition: Get to know Wanda, the donkey in the Met's 'La Bohème'
Because she's 18 years old now, here are your early links: The RHONY castmember mentioned in the Epstein Files, killing rats with carbon monoxide, Selena Gomez says don't vape and more.
By
James Ramsay
Eric Adams' NYC buildings boss Eric Ulrich heads to trial, 3 years after arrest
By
David Brand
and
Samantha Max
Need help with mental health or addiction services? NYC has a new tool.
By
Caroline Lewis
NYC sues personal injury law firm accused of bogus trip-and-fall claims
By
Walter Wuthmann
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .