Apple Pay is now accepted by MTA at all stations and on all buses in New York’s five boroughs.
More than 18 months since it first tried Apple Pay at select subway stations, the New York MTA has completed deployment to all lines, stations and boroughs. The Metropolitan Transport Authority has installed the One Metro New York (OMNY) system across the network for most users.
While Apple Pay and other contactless options are now accepted over the network, their use is limited to individual trips. It is not yet possible to prepay for an equivalent of the MetroCard unlimited driving pass.
“OMNY is available at all subway stations and on all buses, so you can tap and go anywhere in New York City,” MTA said in a statement. “You can use OMNY with your own contactless card or smart device. OMNY currently supports a full rate option, pay per trip, including free transfers.”
In a press conference passed on via TwitterMTA called this “the first phase of the OMNY rollout”. The plan is to completely replace MetroCard in 2023.
Specifically, MTA has been accepting Apple Pay at select stations since late May 2019. In January 2020, there were reports of additional charges because turnstiles activated Apple Pay Express Transit even if a user grabbed a regular MetroCard.