Can you use dollar bills on NYC bus?

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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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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Edward Hausner/The New York Times On Aug. 31, 1969, New York City buses began requiring exact change.

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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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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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Apple Pay is accepted on trains and buses throughout NYC.

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For the driver to stop the bus where you want to get off, push the tape strip located above and beside the windows. You need to signal your driver about one block before your desired stop. The bus will stop at the route's next stop. Stops are every 2-3 blocks, except for limiteds.

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The entire NYC subway and bus system runs 24/7/365. It never completely shuts down. However, during late night hours, most routes operate less frequently. Buses and trains that run every 4-5 minutes during the day might run only once every 20-30 minutes after midnight.

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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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Using Off-board Fare Payment Machines When 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).

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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.

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