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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Subways and busesFare 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.
To pay your fare at subway turnstiles, AutoGates, and onboard buses (including Select Bus Service buses), simply tap your own contactless credit or debit card, smart device, or OMNY card on the OMNY reader.
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.
OMNY can currently be used to pay fares at all New York City Subway and Staten Island Railway stations, on all MTA buses, and on the Roosevelt Island Tram; when completely rolled out, it will also replace the MetroCard on Bee-Line buses, NICE buses, and AirTrain JFK.
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.
It is a travel lane restricted to buses only during certain hours of the day. During this time, other vehicles may enter a bus lane only to make the next available right turn, or to quickly drop off or pick up passengers. Violating bus lane rules results in a $50 – $250 fine.
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.
Purchase and use of this OMNY card constitutes your acceptance of the OMNY Terms of Service and the OMNY Privacy Policy at omny.info/terms-of-service and omny.info/privacy-policy. This OMNY card costs $5 to purchase and must be loaded with a minimum of $1 or a fare product at the time of purchase.
OMNY is available at all subway stations and on all buses, allowing you to tap and go throughout New York City. You can use OMNY with your own contactless card or smart device. OMNY currently supports a full-fare, pay-per-ride option for now, including free transfers.
If a passenger plans to pay using a contactless credit/debit card or an Oyster Card, they are eligible for the Hopper fare. The Hopper fare allows a rider to transfer from one bus (or tram) to another within an hour of touching your card for the first time. It also gives you unlimited journeys within that time frame.
OMNY only offers the “pay-per-ride” option so you will pay full price every time you tap to pay. Unlimited passes and other discount prices will be added to the system sometime between late 2022 to 2023.
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. Find out more about the OMNY card here.