What app do I use to pay for NYC Subway?

OMNY is our contactless fare payment system — and it's the easiest, most flexible way to pay your subway or bus fare.



In 2026, the primary system for paying for the NYC Subway is OMNY (One Metro New York). You don't actually need a specific "MTA app" to pay; you can simply use any contactless credit/debit card or a digital wallet on your phone like Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay. You simply tap your device or card on the OMNY reader at the turnstile. If you prefer a dedicated app to manage your account or view trip history, you can use the official OMNY app or the MYmta app. OMNY has a "fare capping" feature where if you tap the same device/card 12 times in a week (Monday–Sunday), all subsequent rides for the rest of that week are free. This has largely replaced the physical MetroCard, though physical OMNY cards can still be purchased and reloaded at vending machines for those without smartphones.

People Also Ask

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

Apple Pay is accepted on trains and buses throughout NYC.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

OMNY readers are point-of-sale terminals, allowing you to pay your fare and enter the system – all in a split second. Just like you swipe or dip your MetroCard at MetroCard readers, you can tap your contactless card, your smart device, or an OMNY card at OMNY readers.

MORE DETAILS

Where can I use OMNY? All subway stations, MTA buses and Roosevelt Island Tram stations have OMNY readers. In the coming months, we plan to expand fare options across subway, bus, paratransit, and commuter rail.

MORE DETAILS

Tap OMNY or swipe a pay-per-ride MetroCard as each person enters. Tap a contactless card or a digital wallet at OMNY readers to pay the fare. Swipe your MetroCard with the logo and the black barcode facing you and the clipped corner on the upper right.

MORE DETAILS

NYC Subway fare options Third, if you plan to use the subway several times a day and are visiting for 4 days or longer, then buy a 7-day “Unlimited” MetroCard. This card allows you to use the subway as many times a day as you please, without incurring any additional charges.

MORE DETAILS

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. You can't pause an unlimited ride card once you've started using it.

MORE DETAILS

Before you can make fare payments with your smart device at OMNY readers, you will need to add your bank card to your digital wallet. If you have more than one card linked to your digital wallet, make sure to choose which card you want to use before you tap it at an OMNY reader.

MORE DETAILS

You do not need an OMNY card to tap and pay the fare. Use your own contactless credit, debit, reloadable prepaid card, or a smart phone or device with digital wallet enabled. Just choose your preferred payment method, tap and go!

MORE DETAILS

Reduced-Fares. Reduced-fare MetroCards and One Metro New York (OMNY) are available for riders who are 65 or older or riders who have qualifying disabilities. The reduced fare is half the base fare.

MORE DETAILS

The MTA's OMNY payment system could reveal your trip history to anyone who has your credit card number — and cybersecurity experts said Wednesday the setup might threaten your privacy.

MORE DETAILS

The new payment system will accept contactless debit and credit cards, digital wallets and OMNY cards to ride the AirTrain.

MORE DETAILS

An OMNY card works the same as a contactless credit or debit card — all you have to do is tap and go. You can also use an OMNY card to take advantage of our fare capping program. Pay for 12 rides using the same card in a seven-day period and additional rides within the week are free.

MORE DETAILS