Can you pay by card on New York bus?

Board 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.



Yes, in 2026, every single MTA bus in New York City (including NICE buses in Nassau) is fully equipped with the OMNY (One Metro New York) system. This allows you to pay your fare by simply tapping your contactless credit card, debit card, or smartphone (using Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay) on the reader located at the bus entrance. You no longer need a physical MetroCard or exact change in coins. A major benefit of using your card is the "Fare Capping" feature: once you pay for 12 rides in a 7-day period using the same card or device, all subsequent rides for the rest of that week are free. If you prefer a physical transit card, you can still buy a reloadable OMNY card at CVS, Walgreens, or new vending machines in subway stations. For 2026 riders, the rule is simple: if your card has the "contactless" symbol (the four curved lines), you can just tap and go.

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Board 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.

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Local and limited buses Board 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.

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Apple Pay is accepted on trains and buses throughout NYC. With your credit or debit card in Wallet, you can easily get where you need to go with just your iPhone or Apple Watch.

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Fare for most riders on subways and local, limited, and Select Bus Service buses: $2.90. Express buses cost $7. Tap to pay your fare with your contactless credit/debit card, smartphone, or OMNY card, or pay with a MetroCard.

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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.

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We encourage all of our customers to buy tickets using the First Bus App or to pay by contactless card on board. If you are paying with cash, please try to use the exact fare.

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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.

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Use your phone for contactless fare payment. Buy fare for 26 TAP transit systems. Manage your TAP account including Reduced Fare cards and LIFE discounts.

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You can use cash, credit, or debit cards to make your purchase. New York City subway fares are $2.75 per trip. For visitors staying more than a couple of days you can buy a one week unlimited MetroCard for $33 or an unlimited monthly MetroCard for $127.00.

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OMNY lets you pay your MTA bus fare with your phone, credit or debit card, or other wearable device. The OMNY reader can be found immediately after entering the bus.

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Subways and local buses Get free rides after 12 fares within seven days using the same device or contactless card with fare capping. Learn more about how to get free rides with OMNY.

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How to use OMNY on a bus. 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.

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Subways and buses Tap to pay your fare with your contactless credit/debit card, smartphone, or OMNY card, or pay with a MetroCard.

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