MetroCard

The MetroCard is a discontinued magnetic stripe card used for fare payment on transportation in the New York City area. It was a payment method for the New York City Subway (including the Staten Island Railway), New York City Transit buses, and MTA buses. Several partner agencies also accepted the MetroCard: Nassau Inter-County Express (NICE Bus), the PATH train system, the Roosevelt Island Tramway, AirTrain JFK, and Westchester County's Bee-Line Bus System. The MetroCard was introduced in 1994 to enhance the technology of the transit system and eliminate the burden of carrying and collecting tokens. The MTA discontinued the use of tokens in the subway on May 3, 2003, and on buses on December 31, 2003. The MetroCard was phased out at the end of 2025. It was 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 distribution, sales, and ability to add value or passes ended by December 31, 2025. Remaining kiosks and turnstile systems will continue to operate until they are discontinued, the exact date to be announced later in 2026. 7-day or 30-day Unlimited Ride passes must begin use by March 31, 2026 to get the full term of use. The MetroCard was managed by a division of the MTA known as Revenue Control, MetroCard Sales, which was part of the Office of the Executive Vice President. The MetroCard Vending Machines are manufactured by Cubic Transportation Systems, Inc. As of early 2019, the direct costs of the MetroCard system had totaled $1.5 billion.