NYC Congestion Pricing 2026:What It Means When You Ride a Car Service
Manhattan’s congestion toll applies to trips into the busiest part of the city, and the rules for taxis, ride apps and black cars are different from the rules for private cars. Here is how the toll works in 2026, what a car service rider pays, and how it affects holiday trips to Midtown and the airports.
- 01What is the Congestion Relief Zone?The MTA's Congestion Relief Zone covers local streets and avenues in Manhattan at or south of 60th Street.
- 02What private cars payA passenger car paying with E-ZPass is charged $9 during the peak period and $2.25 overnight, and only once per day.
- 03What a car service or taxi rider paysTaxis and for-hire vehicles are not charged the daily car toll.
What is the Congestion Relief Zone?
The MTA’s Congestion Relief Zone covers local streets and avenues in Manhattan at or south of 60th Street. The FDR Drive, the West Side Highway (Route 9A) and the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel connections to West Street are not part of the zone. That means Midtown, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue shopping, the Financial District, SoHo and the Village are all inside it, while the Upper East and Upper West Sides are outside.
What private cars pay
A passenger car paying with E-ZPass is charged $9 during the peak period and $2.25 overnight, and only once per day. The peak period runs from 5 AM to 9 PM on weekdays and from 9 AM to 9 PM on weekends. Drivers who enter through the Lincoln, Holland, Queens-Midtown or Hugh L. Carey tunnels at peak times can get a crossing credit of up to $3. The MTA says the car toll will rise to $12 in 2028 and $15 in 2031.
What a car service or taxi rider pays
Taxis and for-hire vehicles are not charged the daily car toll. Instead, the MTA applies a small charge to each trip that goes to, from, within or through the zone, and the passenger pays it:
- Yellow taxis, green cabs and black cars: $0.75 per trip.
- High-volume ride apps: $1.50 per trip.
For a black car or limousine service like MZ RIDE, that is $0.75 for each trip into the zone, at any time of day, according to the MTA’s taxi and for-hire vehicle page. Ask us when you book and we will confirm how it appears on your trip.
Driving yourself vs. booking a car
If you drive into Midtown for a holiday show or dinner, you pay the $9 peak toll plus Manhattan garage rates, and you still have to find parking near the theater, the Rockefeller tree or the shops on Fifth Avenue. With a chauffeur, the congestion charge is $0.75 per trip, you are dropped at the door, and the car meets you when you are done. For families and groups coming in from Long Island, New Jersey or Westchester, that difference adds up over a holiday season of trips.
Airport trips
JFK, LaGuardia and Newark are all outside the zone. A ride from Long Island or Queens to JFK or LaGuardia does not enter the zone at all. A pickup or drop-off at a Manhattan hotel or office at or below 60th Street does, so that trip includes the $0.75 per-trip charge. Upper East and Upper West Side addresses are outside the zone.
Planning holiday trips into the zone
Most of New York’s big holiday sights are inside the zone: the Rockefeller Center tree, the Fifth Avenue windows, Bryant Park, Times Square and Radio City. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade starts outside the zone on Central Park West and ends inside it at Herald Square. See our Christmas lights tour and our guide to holiday party transportation for planning a night in Midtown.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the congestion toll for a black car or limo?
For taxis, green cabs and black cars, the MTA’s per-trip charge is $0.75 for each trip to, from, within or through the zone. The passenger pays it.
What does a private car pay to enter the zone?
With E-ZPass, $9 during peak hours (5 AM to 9 PM on weekdays, 9 AM to 9 PM on weekends) and $2.25 overnight, charged once per day.
Where does the congestion zone start?
At 60th Street. It covers local streets and avenues in Manhattan at or below 60th Street, but not the FDR Drive or the West Side Highway.
Do trips to JFK or LaGuardia pay the congestion charge?
Only if the trip starts or ends in Manhattan at or below 60th Street. A ride from Long Island to JFK or LaGuardia does not enter the zone.
Will the toll go up?
Yes. The MTA says the passenger car toll will rise to $12 in 2028 and $15 in 2031.
Sources: MTA Congestion Relief Zone pages (About, and Taxis and For-Hire Vehicles), checked October 29, 2026. Toll amounts and rules can change; check mta.info for the current schedule.
Book Your Ride