If by chance, you find yourself without an MTA card on you, you can still pay the Bus single-ride fare ($2.75) aboard the bus, but make sure you have coins with you, no banknotes are accepted, only exact change and no pennies!
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About bus faresOMNY is accepted on all New York City buses. Fares can also be paid with a MetroCard, coins, or SingleRide ticket.
All of our buses and +SelectBusService Coin Fare Collector machines accept exact fare in coins. Dollar bills, pennies, and half-dollar coins are not accepted. OMNY is the MTA's new fare payment system. Use your contactless card or smart device to pay the fare on buses and subways.
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The same card works on city buses. You probably won't use the Express buses. These are designed for commuters who live in the outer boroughs. The Metrocard will work on Limited and Select buses.
Local and limited busesBoard through the front doors and tap your contactless credit or debit card, smartphone, or wearable device at the OMNY reader, a rectangular screen near the driver.
To use the public bus in New York, just stand at the stop, and as your bus approaches, just signal with your hand that you want the bus to stop. Fares are $2.75 for standard buses, and $6.75 for express buses. Fares can be paid in cash, by MetroCard or using contactless via the OMNY system.
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.
Using Off-board Fare Payment MachinesWhen the bus comes, riders can enter or exit through any of the bus's doors, holding on to their receipt which may be requested at random as proof of payment by MTA inspectors (riders without a receipt will be subject to a $100 fare evasion summons).
Tap your contactless credit or debit card, smartphone, or wearable device at the OMNY reader as you enter. On local, limited, and express buses, you must enter and use the reader at the front door. On SBS buses, enter at any door and use the reader there.
Since MetroCards are still available until the end of 2024, so until then, it may not be worth buying an OMNY card, which costs $4 more than a MetroCard. On the other hand, if you use a pay-per-ride MetroCard, you do not get to take advantage of the OMNY fare cap mentioned above.