How long does it take to get a reduced fare MetroCard NYC?

New York City residents who applied and are eligible to receive a Fair Fares NYC subway and bus discount will receive their Fair Fares NYC MetroCard in the mail 2 to 3 weeks after their application is approved.



In 2026, the traditional physical MetroCard is in its final "sunset" phase as the MTA moves entirely to OMNY. If you are applying for a new Reduced-Fare OMNY account (which has replaced the Reduced-Fare MetroCard for seniors and people with disabilities), the online application typically takes 3 to 5 business days to process. Once approved, you can immediately enable the discount on your smartphone or "tap" credit card. If you specifically request a physical Reduced-Fare OMNY card, it usually arrives by mail within 7 to 10 business days. For those still holding legacy MetroCards in early 2026, the MTA is no longer issuing new physical ones at most locations, instead directing all "Reduced Fare" travelers to the OMNY digital portal to ensure they benefit from the new permanent $17.50 weekly fare cap.

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The OMNY rollout started in 2019, and its tap-and-go contactless readers now exist in every subway station and on every bus route in the city. MetroCards, according to the MTA, will be fully phased out by 2024 — as will the vending machines.

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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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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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Learn more. Cost: $34 (7-day) or $132 (30-day). You have unlimited swipes on the subway and local buses for either 7 or 30 days. Your MetroCard can only hold one Unlimited Ride refill at a time.

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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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Log in to your OMNY account, click on your wallet, and look for “Reduced-Fare” as your Rider Type on your selected card or payment device (as shown below).

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Changes to New York City Transit fares 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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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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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.

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Where to buy a MetroCard. You can buy MetroCards by using a MetroCard ticket machine, which are in most subway stations.

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