New York subway ends its MetroCard era and switches fully to tap-and-go fares

NEW YORK– When the MetroCard replaced the New York City subway token in 1994, the plastic swipe card injected a much-needed modernity into one of the world’s oldest and largest mass transit systems.

Now, more than three decades later, the golden fare card and its notoriously temperamental magnetic stripe follow the token into retirement.

The last day to purchase or reload a MetroCard is December 31, 2025, as the transit system transitions entirely to OMNY, a contactless payment system that allows riders to use their credit card, phone or other smart device to pay their fares, much like they do for other everyday purchases.

Transit officials say more than 90% of subway and bus rides are now paid through the tap-and-go system, introduced in 2019.

Major cities around the world, including London and Singapore, have long used similar contactless systems. In the United States, San Francisco launched a card payment system earlier this year, joining Chicago and others.

The humble MetroCard may have outlived its useful life, but in its time it was revolutionary, says Jodi Shapiro, curator of the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn, which opened an exhibit earlier this month on the MetroCard’s legacy.

Before MetroCards, bus and subway riders used tokens, brass-colored coins introduced in 1953 and purchased at station ticket counters. When the subway opened in 1904, paper tickets cost just a nickel, or about $1.82 in today’s dollars.

“There was resistance to moving from tokens to something else because tokens work,” Shapiro said during a recent visit to the museum, located underground in a disused subway station. “MetroCards has introduced a whole new level of thinking for New Yorkers.”

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has launched public campaigns to teach commuters how to properly swipe the originally blue-colored cards, hoping to avoid the dreaded error message or lost fares. Those responsible even briefly mentioned the idea of ​​an original mascot, the Cardvaark, before coming to their senses.

The cards quickly became collectibles as the transit system released special commemorative editions marking major events, such as the “Subway Series” between the New York Mets and New York Yankees in the 2000 World Series. At the time, the fare cost $1.50.

Artists from David Bowie and Olivia Rodrigo to seminal New York hip hop groups, such as the Wu-Tang Clan, the Notorious BIG and LL Cool J, have also graced the plastic card over the years, as have iconic New York shows like Seinfeld and Law. & Order.

“To me, the most special cards are the ones that introduce New York to the world,” said Lev Radin, a collector from the Bronx. “Not only photos of landmarks, skylines, but also of people who live and make New York special.”

Perfecting the correct angle and speed of the MetroCard swipe has also become a point of pride separating true New Yorkers from those just visiting.

During her failed 2016 presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton, a former U.S. senator from New York, carried out five gruesome attacks on a Bronx turnstile. In fairness, his primary Democratic opponent at the time, Brooklyn-born U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, didn’t even seem to realize the chips had been dropped.

Unlike the MetroCard rollout, OMNY required few adjustments.

Riders reluctant to use a credit card or smart device can purchase an OMNY card that they can reload, similar to a MetroCard. Existing MetroCards will also continue to operate through 2026, allowing riders to use remaining balances.

MTA spokespeople declined to comment, instead pointing to their numerous public statements as the deadline approached.

The agency said the change would save at least $20 million a year in MetroCard-related costs.

The new system also allows unlimited free rides over a seven-day period as the fare is capped after 12 rides. It will reach a maximum of $35 per week once the rate increases to $3 in January.

Still, the new changes come with tradeoffs, with some critics raising concerns about data collection and monitoring.

Near Times Square on a recent morning, Ronald Minor was among the dwindling group of “straphangers” still swiping MetroCards.

The 70-year-old Manhattan resident said he was sad to see them go. He has an OMNY card but finds the ATMs to reload it more tedious.

“It’s hard for seniors,” Minor said as he took a train to Brooklyn. “Don’t push us aside and act like we don’t matter. You push these machines away, you push us away.”

John Sacchetti, another MetroCard user at the Port Authority stop, said he likes being able to see his balance when he goes through a turnstile so he knows how much he’s spent on rides.

“It’s like everything else, just something you have to get used to,” he said as he headed downtown. “Once I get used to it, I think I’ll be fine.”

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Follow Philip Marcelo at https://x.com/philmarcelo