Starting January 1, 2026, MetroCards will no longer be available for purchase or refill at New York City subway stations and buses, as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) completes its transition to the OMNY (One Metro New York) contactless payment system.
This is what you need to know.
Why It Matters
New York City’s decision to retire the MetroCard and move exclusively to the OMNY tap-and-go fare system marks the biggest change to the city’s public transit payment infrastructure in over three decades, after the MetroCards replaced tokens in 1994.
The MTA says that the switch is expected to save at least $20 million annually in MetroCard production and distribution, vending machine repairs, and cash collection and handling.
What To Know
Introduced in 2019, OMNY enables riders to pay fares by tapping a contactless credit or debit card, smart device, or OMNY card at subway turnstiles and bus fareboxes…