•Incentives for Tehran subway users to shift trips to off-peak hours were studied.•Financial, time-, and service-based incentives and combinations were considered.•Logistic and probit models were developed to identify the most effective incentive.•The most effective incentive types were identified by demographic group.•Reducing waiting times and offering fare discounts during off-peak hours affect willingness to shift trip times. Issues such as the increasing demand for intra-city trips in megalopolises, noticeable growth in the use of public transportation, problems caused during peak traffic hours, and limitations related to the augmentation of transport fleet sizes all underscore the necessity of transportation demand management. In this study, we sought to address the question of whether incentive-based plans can alter passengers’ behavior during peak hours. To accomplish the task, we used 432 Tehran subway system passengers’ stated preferences. The results indicate that incentives, such as ticket discounting during off-peak hours, increasing availability of seats, and offering free Wi-Fi and breakfast discount coupons, can be influential in altering passenger behavior during peak hours. In addition, wait time reductions during off-peak hours can be an incentive for changing the travel behavior.