Is the MetroCard being discontinued in NYC?
The OMNY rollout started in 2019, and its tap-and-go contactless readers now exist in every subway station and on every bus route in the city. MetroCards, according to the
OMNY readers, which allow New Yorkers to "tap to pay" for their ride instead of swipe an iconic MetroCard, have officially been installed in every single subway station in NYC.
The MetroCard is expected to be phased out by 2025. It will be replaced by OMNY, a contactless payment system where riders pay for their fare by waving or tapping credit or debit bank cards, smartphones, or MTA-issued smart cards.
MetroCard and OMNY are two separate systems, so it is not possible to transfer MetroCard value or passes to OMNY. However, as OMNY is rolled out, we will introduce fare options that are comparable to what is available with MetroCard today.
The fares are the same for MetroCard and OMNY. Can I still ride with the MTA if I do not have a contactless card or a smart device? Yes. You can use an OMNY card – a contactless transit card – to tap and go throughout the system.
Is “the swipe” officially a thing of the past? The death knell of the NYC MetroCard has been ringing for years now, with the announcement back in January 2021 that OMNY's contactless payment system will replace the old-school subway cards by 2023.
The 7-Day Unlimited Ride pass increased from $33 to $34, and the 30-Day Unlimited Ride pass increased from $127 to $132. If you purchased a 7-Day or 30-Day Unlimited Ride pass at the current fare, you had to begin using it by August 27 to get the full days of unlimited rides.
“Installing OMNY vending machines in subway stations makes it easier than ever for transit customers to leave MetroCard in the past and embrace the convenience of tapping, especially those who pay with cash to ride,” said New York City Transit President Richard Davey.
Conversation. Seniors with reduced-fare MetroCards can switch to OMNY and pay by credit card, smartphone, or OMNY card. Go to omny.info to find out how.
Whether Pay-Per-Ride or Unlimited Ride, every MetroCard has an expiration date. The date is located at the upper left corner on the back of the card. The expiration date is usually about one year from the date of purchase.
Are OMNY rides still charging after 12 trips?
What if I am charged the fare after I've hit the cap? If you believe you have been overcharged, please contact OMNY customer service at 877–789–6669 during the hours of 8 am to 8 pm Monday - Friday, and 8 am to 5 pm Saturday - Sunday.
Once you've taken 12 paid rides in a seven-day period, you can ride free for the rest of the week. Here's an example: A rider uses the subway to get to and from work, and takes it on weekends to go into Manhattan to meet friends. They also use the local buses in their neighborhood to run errands.
PAYMENT NOT ACCEPTED: This particular payment method you used is not accepted with OMNY. RIDE LIMITED EXCEEDED: While you can tap a single payment method multiple times to pay for multiple people traveling in a group, you can do so only at maximum 4 times (including yourself) at any given station.
Buy and reload an OMNY card at stores across the city, including participating Walgreens, CVS, 7-Eleven, CFSC Check Cashing, and Payomatic stores, as well as many bodegas and independent pharmacies.
Benefits of OMNY include: Free transfers – Use the same card or device for both legs of your trip to get a free transfer. Free trips – Pay for 12 rides using the same card or device in a 7-day period, and all additional rides within the week are free. Learn more here.
OMNY can currently be used to pay fares at all New York City Subway and Staten Island Railway stations, on all MTA buses, AirTrain JFK, and on the Roosevelt Island Tram; when completely rolled out, it will also replace the MetroCard on Bee-Line buses, and NICE buses.
OMNY caps your weekly fares at $34 when you tap the same card or device for every ride. This gives OMNY customers the benefits of a 7-Day Unlimited MetroCard without paying in advance. Your first tap starts a new seven-day cap. If you spend $34 within seven days, you ride free for the rest of the cap period.
About reduced fares
The reduced fare for subways and local, limited, and Select Bus Service buses is $1.45 (half the $2.90 base fare) at all times of the day for eligible customers. On express bus trips, the reduced fare is $3.50 (half the $7 base fare).
How to Buy MetroCards: Buy MetroCards in any subway station or Transportation Hub like Grand Central Terminal, The Oculus, Penn Station, or Port Authority. Vending machines will take cash, ATM cards, and all major credit cards. Tellers can only accept cash.
Subway and bus fares increased from $2.75 to $2.90. A 7-day unlimited MetroCard rose $1 to $34, and a 30-day unlimited pass increased by $5 to $132. Express bus rides are also more expensive starting Sunday, jumping from $6.75 to $7. A 7-day unlimited express bus pass went up from $62 to $64.
Can I pay cash for bus in NYC?
About bus fares
OMNY is accepted on all New York City buses. Fares can also be paid with a MetroCard, coins, or SingleRide ticket. Some buses are fare-free: Q70-LaGuardia Link to and from LaGuardia Airport.
While a single ride costs $2.90, the Unlimited card saves you money because the more you use it, the cheaper each ride is. If your stay is 30 days or longer, consider a 30-day unlimited card for $127 ($63.50 reduced fare). Important rules that apply to Unlimited MetroCards: It can only be used by 1 person.
NY MTA Lost $690 Million Last Year to Fare and Toll Evasion
Weekday subway ridership is about 70% of 2019 usage and the report estimates that 400,000 riders enter the subway system every day without paying.
In addition to the OMNY vending machines in the stations, MTA also recommends using an extensive network of retail locations (including some CVS and Walgreens stores) where you can refill your card with cash. Purchasing a new OMNY card will cost $5.
PRESTO in Google Wallet lets you tap your Android phone to pay for transit across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area with all the other benefits of a physical PRESTO card. PRESTO contactless is the easiest way to pay on the TTC, GO Transit, UP Express and participating transit agencies in the 905 region.
