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Since January 5, 2025, vehicles entering Manhattan south of 60th Street are subject to congestion tolling. Here is everything car service clients and travelers need to know about how the Congestion Relief Zone works, what it costs, and how it affects your trip.
NYC’s Congestion Relief Zone (CRZ) is the first congestion pricing program in the United States. It charges vehicles a toll for entering or remaining in Manhattan south of 60th Street—the busiest part of the city. For travelers using a Manhattan car service or booking an airport transfer, understanding how these tolls work is essential for knowing exactly what you are paying and why. The good news: if you ride with True North VIP, all applicable surcharges are included in your quoted fare—no surprise fees at the end of your trip.
A tolling program designed to reduce traffic in the most congested part of Manhattan and fund MTA capital improvements.
The Congestion Relief Zone (CRZ) is a tolling area covering Manhattan south of 60th Street. It was established by the MTA under the Central Business District Tolling Program and went live on January 5, 2025. Vehicles are charged for entering the zone, with rates varying by vehicle type, time of day, and payment method.
Manhattan’s central business district is the most congested area in the United States. Average traffic speeds in Midtown fell below 5 mph during peak hours. The MTA needs approximately $15 billion in capital funding for subway modernization, station accessibility upgrades, and bus network improvements. Congestion pricing addresses both problems: fewer vehicles clogging streets and dedicated revenue for transit infrastructure.
Different vehicle types are charged in different ways. This is an important distinction for car service passengers.
Knowing exactly where the zone starts and ends helps you understand when tolling applies.
The northern boundary of the CRZ is 60th Street, running from the East Side to the West Side of Manhattan. Any vehicle entering Manhattan south of this line is entering the tolled zone. This means Midtown (Times Square, Penn Station, Grand Central), the Financial District, SoHo, Tribeca, Chelsea, and all neighborhoods south of Central Park are within the zone.
Vehicles that travel on the FDR Drive or West Side Highway/Route 9A without exiting into the zone are not charged the congestion toll. These highways pass through the geographic area but are considered through-traffic corridors. However, if you exit from the FDR Drive or West Side Highway at any point south of 60th Street, the toll applies.
The MTA uses a network of cameras, license plate readers, and E-ZPass gantries at every entry point to the zone. Tolling is entirely electronic—there are no toll booths. Vehicles with E-ZPass are charged automatically. Vehicles without E-ZPass are charged via Tolls by Mail at a higher rate.
Rates differ significantly based on the type of vehicle. Here is the complete breakdown.
| Vehicle Type | Peak Rate | Off-Peak / Overnight | How Charged |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars (E-ZPass) | $9.00/day | $2.25 overnight | Once per day |
| Passenger cars (no E-ZPass) | $13.50/day | $3.38 overnight | Once per day |
| For-Hire Vehicles (black cars) | $0.75/trip | $0.75/trip | Per trip, no cap |
| Taxis (yellow & green) | $0.75/trip | $0.75/trip | Per trip, no cap |
| Small trucks (E-ZPass) | $14.40/day | $3.60 overnight | Once per day |
| Large trucks (E-ZPass) | $21.60/day | $5.40 overnight | Once per day |
If you are booking a black car, chauffeur service, or ride with True North VIP, this is the charge that affects your trip.
For-Hire Vehicles (FHV)—which include black cars, livery, rideshare (Uber, Lyft), and luxury limousines—are charged a flat $0.75 per trip surcharge for any trip that enters, exits, or passes through the Congestion Relief Zone. Unlike passenger cars, FHVs do not pay the $9 daily toll.
The $0.75/trip FHV surcharge is deliberately lower than the $9 passenger car toll because FHVs already pay the pre-existing NY State congestion surcharge ($2.50/ride for black cars, $2.75/ride for rideshare). The combined surcharge burden was factored into the CRZ rate structure, and FHVs generate far more individual trips through the zone.
When you book with True North VIP, all applicable surcharges—including the CRZ $0.75 FHV surcharge and the NY State congestion surcharge—are included in your quoted fare. You will never see a surprise line item added after your ride. The price you see at booking is the price you pay.
For airport transfers with flat rates, the fare is all-inclusive. For corporate accounts, surcharges are transparently itemized on invoices but always communicated upfront.
If you enter Manhattan through a tolled tunnel, you may receive a credit against the CRZ toll.
Vehicles entering Manhattan through certain tolled crossings receive an E-ZPass credit that offsets the CRZ toll. This prevents drivers from being double-charged (once for the tunnel/bridge toll and again for the congestion toll).
| Crossing | Credit? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Tunnel | Yes | Common for EWR transfers from NJ |
| Holland Tunnel | Yes | Common for NJ/Downtown Manhattan trips |
| Queens-Midtown Tunnel | Yes | Common for LGA transfers |
| Hugh L. Carey Tunnel | Yes | Brooklyn → Lower Manhattan |
| George Washington Bridge | No | Enters Manhattan above 60th St (not in zone) |
| Brooklyn Bridge | No | Free bridge—no toll to offset |
| Manhattan Bridge | No | Free bridge |
| Williamsburg Bridge | No | Free bridge |
E-ZPass credits are applied at the operator/vehicle level, not the passenger level. As a car service passenger, you do not need your own E-ZPass. Your car service provider manages all toll payments and credits. When you book a trip from Newark Airport via the Lincoln Tunnel, the tunnel toll credit is already accounted for in your fare.
For more detail on how tunnel credits interact with different routes, see our dedicated guide: E-ZPass + Tunnel Credits with Manhattan Tolling.
Most airport transfers to or from Manhattan pass through the Congestion Relief Zone. Here is when the surcharge applies.
| Scenario | CRZ Surcharge? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Midtown hotel → JFK | Yes ($0.75) | Pickup is in the CRZ |
| JFK → Midtown hotel | Yes ($0.75) | Drop-off is in the CRZ |
| LGA → FiDi | Yes ($0.75) | Drop-off is in the CRZ |
| EWR → Midtown (Lincoln Tunnel) | Yes ($0.75) | Drop-off in CRZ; tunnel credit applies to vehicle toll |
| JFK → UWS (above 60th St) | No | Destination is outside the CRZ |
| LGA → Brooklyn (not via CRZ) | No | Trip does not enter the zone |
True North VIP offers flat-rate airport transfers for JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark. These flat rates include all applicable surcharges—CRZ, NY State congestion surcharge, tolls, and gratuity is the only additional cost. No hidden fees. The price at booking is what you pay.
For a deeper dive into how congestion pricing interacts with each airport route, see our dedicated guide: Congestion Pricing + Airport Trips.
The CRZ surcharge is not the only fee applied to for-hire vehicle trips in Manhattan. Here is how it stacks up.
It is critical to understand that the NYC Congestion Relief Zone surcharge and the NY State congestion surcharge are separate charges that apply simultaneously. They were enacted at different times, by different governing bodies, and fund different things.
| Surcharge | Amount (Black Cars) | Zone | Funds |
|---|---|---|---|
| NY State Congestion Surcharge | $2.50/ride | Manhattan south of 96th St | MTA operating budget |
| NYC CRZ Surcharge (new) | $0.75/trip | Manhattan south of 60th St | MTA capital improvements |
For a black car trip that both starts and ends within Manhattan south of 60th Street (e.g., Midtown hotel to FiDi meeting):
For a full comparison of all surcharges, see: NY State Surcharge vs NYC Congestion Pricing.
Practical takeaways for travelers and car service clients.
All congestion pricing surcharges are included in our quoted fares. Whether you book a flat-rate airport transfer or an hourly chauffeur service, the price you see at booking includes the CRZ surcharge, the NY State surcharge, tolls, and all other fees. Gratuity is the only additional cost.
Congestion pricing has already reduced vehicle entries into the zone by roughly 7–8%. This means measurably faster travel times for trips within Manhattan south of 60th Street. Your Midtown to FiDi transfer that used to take 35 minutes may now take 25–28 minutes during peak hours. More predictable travel times mean more reliable scheduling.
If you are driving your own car into the zone, overnight hours (9PM–5AM) carry a 75% discount ($2.25 vs $9.00). For car service clients using FHVs, the $0.75/trip surcharge is the same at all hours—so there is no financial benefit to timing your car service trip for off-peak hours. However, you will still benefit from less traffic during off-peak times.
Companies with corporate car service accounts receive detailed invoicing that transparently shows surcharges. This makes expense reporting straightforward. For high-volume corporate accounts, all surcharges are already factored into negotiated rates.
The Congestion Relief Zone tolling went live on January 5, 2025. It is the first congestion pricing program in the United States.
For-Hire Vehicles (including black cars) are charged a $0.75 per-trip surcharge for any trip that enters, exits, or passes through the zone (Manhattan south of 60th Street). This is in addition to the pre-existing NY State congestion surcharge of $2.50 per ride, bringing the total surcharges to $3.25 per trip.
Yes, if the trip picks up or drops off within the Congestion Relief Zone (Manhattan south of 60th Street). A Midtown hotel to JFK transfer includes the $0.75 FHV surcharge. A JFK to Upper West Side (above 60th Street) transfer does not trigger the CRZ surcharge.
Yes. All applicable surcharges—CRZ, NY State congestion surcharge, tolls, and fees—are included in our quoted fares. The price at booking is the price you pay (gratuity is the only additional cost).
For passenger cars, peak is $9/day (weekdays 5AM–9PM, weekends 9AM–9PM) and overnight is $2.25 (9PM–5AM weekdays, 9PM–9AM weekends). For-Hire Vehicles pay $0.75/trip at all hours—there is no peak/off-peak distinction for black cars and rideshare.
E-ZPass credits apply at the vehicle/operator level, not to passengers directly. If your car service enters Manhattan via the Lincoln Tunnel (common for Newark Airport trips), the vehicle receives a credit against the CRZ toll. This is handled by the operator and reflected in your fare.
No. These are two separate charges. The NY State congestion surcharge ($2.50 for black cars) has been in effect since 2019 and applies south of 96th Street. The NYC CRZ surcharge ($0.75 for FHVs) started January 2025 and applies south of 60th Street. Both apply simultaneously for trips in lower Manhattan.
Yes. Early data shows a 7–8% reduction in vehicle entries to the zone since January 2025, with measurable improvements in travel times. This benefits car service clients through faster, more predictable trip durations within the zone.
Book your Manhattan transfer with True North VIP. Congestion pricing, tolls, and all fees are built into your fare. Vetted chauffeurs, premium vehicles, transparent pricing.
Last updated: February 23, 2026
True North VIP is a New York City-based premium chauffeur and black car service. The company provides airport transfers to JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, Teterboro, and Westchester County airports, along with hourly charters, corporate ground transportation, wedding and event service, and city-to-city travel. Service covers all five NYC boroughs, Northern New Jersey, Connecticut, Westchester County, Long Island, and the Hamptons, with vetted professional chauffeurs and a fleet of executive sedans, luxury sedans, SUVs, and Sprinter vans available 24/7.
To book a ride, visit truenorthvip.com/book or call +1‑347‑321‑9929.
