Overview
- MetroCard sales and refills ended on Dec. 31 as New York City’s transit system fully transitions to OMNY’s tap-to-pay system.
- OMNY, introduced in 2019, now handles more than 90% of subway and bus trips and works with contactless bank cards, phones, and reloadable OMNY cards.
- The MTA projects at least $20 million in annual savings from retiring the MetroCard and related equipment.
- OMNY fare-capping grants free rides after 12 taps in a seven-day period, with the weekly cap set to reach $35 when the base fare rises to $3 on Jan. 4.
- New Yorkers marked the change with a Washington Square Park “funeral” for the MetroCard and a Transit Museum exhibit reflecting on the card’s three-decade legacy.