What is the best way to pay for the subway in NYC?

Tap and go in every borough 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 absolute best way to pay for the NYC subway is by using OMNY (One Metro New York) via your own contactless credit card, debit card, or smartphone (Apple/Google Pay). This "tap-and-go" system has completely replaced the MetroCard. The biggest advantage is the automatic fare capping: once you spend $35 in a 7-day period (Monday to Sunday) using the same device or card, every subsequent ride for the rest of that week is free. A supportive peer tip: avoid "passing your card back" for a friend on the first tap, as the system needs to verify your individual card for the fare cap to apply correctly. By 2026, OMNY is also fully integrated with the AirTrain and regional buses, making it the most seamless and cost-effective way to navigate the five boroughs.

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If you do not plan on purchasing a weekly pass (discussed below), using the OMNY payment system may be your best option. Just tap your phone, smart watch or credit card and you're in! It's really easy, you can avoid the lines at the MetroCard machines, and you save yourself a dollar by not purchasing a new MetroCard.

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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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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.

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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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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.

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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.

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Pay for multiple people: Up to four riders can use the same payment method. 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.

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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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MYmta features Real-time service status: See real-time arrival information for subways, buses, and railroads. Save frequent trips: Bookmark your favorite subway, bus, or rail lines, or your frequently visited stations and stops. You can save your trips and view schedules to plan ahead.

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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.

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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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You have up to a year after the expiration date on the card to transfer the balance at a booth, a MetroCard Vending Machine or by mailing it in to MetroCard Customer Claims. We issue a replacement card for the remaining value on your Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard. We don't provide cash refunds.

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No. Let's not sugarcoat it. The NYC subway system is very big, often crowded, experiences occasional delays (or frequent delays, if you listen to grumpy New Yorkers late for work), and could be very confusing for first-time visitors, especially for those who don't have much experience with large metro systems.

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In 2021, our total subway ridership was 760 million, reaching 45% of our 2019 ridership numbers. Total bus ridership was 312 million, back to 56% of our 2019 ridership numbers.

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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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