Tap-and-go payment for subway, train, and bus riders is set to arrive in the NYC area by 2025

New York City introduced the One Metro New York contactless payment system five years ago, but due to various issues, less than half of subway riders currently utilize OMNY. For instance, passengers eligible for discounted fares, such as students, cannot use it to access cheaper rides, and residents in the broader New York transit area also miss out on the system's benefits.

"We consistently observed that there was confusion," stated Janno Lieber, CEO and chair of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

To boost OMNY adoption, the MTA is ending its partnership with Cubic Corporation, the contractor responsible for its initial launch, and will collaborate with the team behind the highly-rated app MTA TrainTime, which boasts a 4.9-star rating in the Apple App Store.

OMNY will be linked with MTA TrainTime, allowing riders to utilize the app's tap-and-go feature across the MTA's vast transportation network, including the Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road. The enhanced app will also introduce modernized ticket machines, as stated in a MTA press release dated May 20.

"This approach ensures we can implement changes swiftly without compromising the quality of our ticketing services," commented Jamie Torres-Springer, the MTA's president of construction and development, during an interview with Streetsblog New York City.

The MTA intends to launch a contactless fare payment system for most users by the end of 2024, with further implementation across subway, bus, and paratransit systems by the close of 2025.

"We can issue tickets for railroad passengers that are valid for subway rides under an integrated fare system, enabling pay-as-you-go options on the railroad — we have the capability for that," stated Torres-Springer.

Once the new system is fully operational, customers will be able to use their contactless credit or debit cards, smartphones, wearable devices, or OMNY cards for tap-and-go payments for subway, bus, and train rides. At that point, the traditional yellow MetroCard will be phased out, although its expiration has been "indefinitely" delayed, as first reported by Streetsblog New York City.