How to pay for the New York subway as a visitor
MetroCard is gone. You tap a contactless card or your phone, the fare is $2.90, and a weekly cap stops you paying more than $34. Here is what that means in practice.
The way visitors pay for the New York subway changed, and most advice online is still describing the old system. Here is how it works now.
MetroCard is finished
The MTA stopped selling and refilling MetroCards on 1 January 2026. Existing cards with a balance were still being accepted through 2026, with a final cut-off to be announced, and leftover value can be transferred at a Customer Service Center.
For a visitor arriving now, none of that matters. You will not buy one and should not plan around one.
What replaced it: OMNY
OMNY is tap-and-go. There is no ticket to buy before you travel. At the turnstile you tap one of:
- a contactless credit or debit card, the kind with the wave symbol
- your phone, with the card already in Apple Pay or Google Pay
- a watch or other wearable
- a physical OMNY card, bought at a station vending machine, which is the option for anyone without the others
Tap at the reader, the gate opens, done. The same applies on buses.
The fare, and the cap that matters
A single ride is $2.90, anywhere, any distance. New York does not have zones: one stop or an hour out to the end of the line costs the same.
The part worth knowing is the cap. Once you have spent $34 in a rolling 7-day period on the same card or device, the rest of that week's subway and local bus rides are free.
That changes how you should travel. There is no weekly pass to buy and no sum to calculate in advance: you tap every time and the system stops charging you once you have reached the cap. The one rule is use the same card or phone every time, because the cap tracks the thing you tap. Alternating between a card and a phone splits your spending into two halves that never reach it.
The thing that catches people out
If you tap with your phone, your phone is your ticket. Flat battery means standing at a turnstile with no way through.
This is a real problem in December, when cold cuts battery life sharply and you are using the phone all day for maps anyway. Two sensible habits: carry a power bank, and have a physical contactless card as a backup. They do not need to be the same payment method to work, they just need to be used consistently if you want the cap.
An OMNY card from a vending machine is the belt-and-braces answer for a longer stay.
Signal underground
Every subway station has mobile service and free wifi, so you can check directions on the platform. Coverage in the tunnels between stations has been rolling out and is not everywhere yet, so expect the signal to drop while moving.
The practical consequence is to download offline maps before you go out, and to look up your route while standing on the platform rather than halfway between stops.
Quick answers
Can I still use a MetroCard in New York?
You cannot buy or refill one: sales ended on 1 January 2026. Existing cards were accepted into 2026 with a final date to be announced. As a visitor, use OMNY.
How much is a subway ride in New York?
$2.90 flat, any distance. After $34 of travel in a rolling 7-day period on the same card or device, the rest of that week is free.
Do I need to buy a ticket before travelling?
No. Tap a contactless card, your phone or an OMNY card straight at the turnstile. There is nothing to buy in advance.
Is there phone signal on the subway?
In every station, yes, including free wifi. Between stations the tunnel coverage is still being extended, so expect gaps while the train is moving. Download your maps before you set off.