New York City's Subway and Buses Now Support Contactless Fare Payments
Say goodbye to the struggle of swiping your MetroCard.
New York City has finally upgraded its public transportation fare payment system. Last week, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced that all of the city’s subway stations and buses are now supported with the new OMNY (One Metro New York) system.
According to The New York Times, the MTA has been installing OMNY since May 2019. Now available at 472 stations and on 5,800 buses, New Yorkers can tap-and-pay with contactless cards (credit, debit or reloadable prepaid card), smartphones and smartwatches. This initiative aims to speed up entry into trains and buses, as well as upgrade the city’s iconic MetroCards that have been around since the ‘90s.
In addition, the MTA’s Executive Director Al Putre stated in a press conference that the company plans to bring OMNY to NYC’s rail lines, while rolling out contactless OMNY cards and reduced fare cards in the near future.
Locals can still use their existing MetroCards. However, the MTA will discontinue them in 2023.
