For nearly three decades and approximately 3.4 million New Yorkers every day, the act of swiping a MetroCard at a subway turnstile has been as much a part of New York City life as hailing a cab or grabbing a breakfast bagel. Maybe you still remember your first swipe during Welcome Week, or the first time picking one up off the ground, hoping it had enough money for a free ride.
However, with the rise of Apple Pay and other phone wallet systems, the Metropolitan Transit Authority has made the decision to completely phase out the yellow MetroCards starting Dec. 31, 2025 in favor of the contactless tap-and-go system known as One Metro New York or OMNY. 75% of commuters have already jumped onto the new system, with the agency’s chief executive Janno Lieber saying that the switch could save the city $20 million in MetroCard production and distribution costs. But despite its efficiency, phasing the system out poses an unnecessary accessibility problem that alienates disadvantaged groups in the city and marks the loss of one of New York City’s most recognizable cultural touchstones.
Since 2021, OMNY contactless card readers have lined every subway station and bus entrance in the city — bringing the total number of card readers to about 15,000. Riders tap their smartphone, smartwatch or credit card against the readers and sideline the ritual of swiping a MetroCard in favor of speed. For some, it’s a seamless adjustment, meaning no more fumbling with bendable cards at the turnstile or tediously long lines at MetroCard vending machines. For others, it’s a difficult adjustment that upends one’s daily commute and makes it harder to ride the subway…