MTA: New York City Transit Official Fare Information →

About MTA-NYCT Fare Payment

New York City Transit operates the subway and local bus systems serving New York City's five boroughs. The MTA uses the OMNY contactless fare payment system.

Payment Methods

MTA-NYCT accepts the following payment methods:

• Contactless payment: Credit/debit cards (Visa®, Mastercard®, American Express®, Discover®, UnionPay, and JCB) and mobile payment (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay)
• OMNY card: Prepaid card ($5 fee, non-refundable)
• Cash: Coins only on buses

Transfer Policy

Free transfers are available between subway and local buses, or between two buses, within a 2-hour window. Maximum of 2 trips total (initial boarding + 1 free transfer) are supported in a transfer sequence. You must use the same payment method to receive free transfers.

Out-of-system transfers: At select stations, you can transfer for free by tapping at the turnstile:

• Between Lexington Av/59 St (N,R,W,4,5,6) and Lexington Av/63 St (F,Q)
• Between Junius St (3) and Livonia Av (L)

Card Sharing

OMNY allows passback for contactless payments - multiple people (up to 4) can use the same contactless card or device.

• Fare capping only applies to one rider on the same card.
• If the card was never used to pay fare via OMNY before, passback may be rejected on the first use. This is because your bank must approve the transaction before any other fares are paid. Instead, use a separate payment method for everyone on your first trip. Approval generally takes only a few minutes.

Fare Capping

• Weekly fare cap: After 12 trips in a 7-day period, additional rides are free
• For current fare capping amounts, see OMNY website

Important Notes

• Express bus service requires an additional fare
• Tap-off is not required