How NYCs Congestion Pricing Plan Will Affect Your Travel Plans

To live in New York City, one must be willing to pay the price—literally. The latest congestion pricing plan backed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo would charge local drivers a surcharge to enter the city’s central business districts. Here’s everything you need to know about how Cuomo’s congestion plan could cost you.

Contrary to what its name suggests, congestion pricing is actually an effective tool to diminish traffic-related issues. In a nutshell, congestion pricing asks drivers to pay a surcharge to access more heavily trafficked areas and then directs that revenue toward infrastructure repairs. Major cities including London and Singapore have adopted congestion pricing to great effect. For example, Cuomo’s Fix NYC panel reports that zone charging in London reduced congestion by a quarter, increased average speeds by 30%, and decreased harmful carbon dioxide emissions by 20%.

Even in light of these success stories, congestion pricing is still a hard pill for New Yorkers to swallow. Many locals take umbrage at the idea of Cuomo undoing decades worth of mismanagement of the city’s subway system by taking money out of commuters’ pockets. In order to alleviate the overcrowding of New York’s subway and Manhattan’s roads, the Fix NYC panel proposes a one-time surcharge ranging from $2 for for-hire vehicles to a staggering $25.34 for trucks south of 60th Street and north of Battery Park between 6 am and 8 pm. The panel claims this plan could generate between $810 million and $1.1 billion annually, a number which isn’t likely to incentivize cost-conscious New Yorkers.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.