Can you swipe MetroCard on NYC bus?

To board a Select Bus Service bus, you will need to insert your MetroCard or bus transfer at the MetroCard Fare Collector machine and obtain a proof-of-payment receipt. You may enter the bus at any door. Please be sure to hold on to your proof of payment receipt while riding the Select Bus Service.



As of early 2026, the traditional MetroCard is in its final phase-out period. While the MTA originally planned to retire the card completely by 2024, the timeline was extended; however, you can no longer buy or refill MetroCards at most vending machines. You can still "swipe" an existing MetroCard on NYC buses if it has a remaining balance, but the MTA is aggressively moving everyone to OMNY. This "tap-and-go" system allows you to pay your fare by tapping a contactless credit/debit card, a smartphone (Apple/Google Pay), or a dedicated OMNY card. On buses, you simply tap the OMNY reader located at the front or rear doors. The MetroCard "swipe" era is officially ending this year, and travelers are strongly encouraged to switch to OMNY to take advantage of "fare capping" (where your rides become free after you spend a certain amount in a 7-day period), which is not available with the old MetroCard.

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How OMNY works. 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.

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Subways and buses 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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Unlimited Ride MetroCards: These passes are only good for one person, they cannot be shared. Once swiped you cannot use the card again for another 18 mins.

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Once you've taken 12 paid rides in a seven-day period, you can ride free for the rest of the week. Here's an example: A rider uses the subway to get to and from work, and takes it on weekends to go into Manhattan to meet friends.

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In fact, 88% of the time, OMNY is cheaper than a 30-day MetroCard if I average 10 rides a week. Let's see if we can generalize this to other weekly averages: As you can see, up until I average 11 rides a week, OMNY is usually better. More often than not, I'll save money if I stick with it and skip the Unlimited card.

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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.

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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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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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What does “OMNY” mean? OMNY, which stands for One Metro New York, is based on the concept of unifying fare payments and ticketing across multiple modes of transportation. We believe that transportation is an essential service that connects communities and brings the diversity and energy of New York together.

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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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The base fare for subway, local buses and paratransit increased 15 cents, from $2.75 to $2.90. The 7-Day Unlimited Ride pass increased from $33 to $34, and the 30-Day Unlimited Ride pass increased from $127 to $132.

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Pay Per Ride MetroCard is nothing but a rechargeable card that will allow you to pay each individual ride at the reduced fare of $2.75 fee. You are free to re-load the Metro Card as many times as you like, plus at any station, you can swipe as many as 4 times back-to-back meaning 4 people can share the same card.

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While a single ride costs $2.90, the Unlimited card saves you money because the more you use it, the cheaper each ride is. If your stay is 30 days or longer, consider a 30-day unlimited card for $127 ($63.50 reduced fare). Important rules that apply to Unlimited MetroCards: It can only be used by 1 person.

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Using your MetroCard on a bus at the start your trip will place a free transfer on your card. Then you can continue your trip for free on the subway or bus if you transfer within 2 hours. When you swipe or dip again, the little window will say “Transfer OK.”

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