Use OMNY
OMNY (One Metro New York) is the future means of payment for all New York City Transit. Initially rolled out by the MTA on New York City Transit buses, subway, and the Staten Island Railway, OMNY is planned to be rolled out on the Long Island Rail Road, Metro North, and the Port Authority Trans Hudson (PATH). This wikiHow aims to cover what OMNY is.
Contents
Steps
What is OMNY?
- OMNY is the future means of payment for all public transport in New York City. It is expected to completely replace MetroCard by 2023 and traditional LIRR/Metro-North tickets by 2024.
How does OMNY work?
- OMNY uses your existing debit or credit card to pay for fares on systems that support it. It does not require obtaining a transit card or ticket to use at the turnstile. When used, OMNY will instead debit your bank card instead of a transit card.
Where is OMNY supported?
- OMNY is currently supported on the New York City Subway and the New York City Bus. This includes the entirety of the A and B divisions of the subway, the Staten Island Railway, and the various public buses that travel throughout the five boroughs of New York City.
- Plans are in place to support OMNY on the Long Island Rail Road, Metro North, PATH, the Nassau Intercounty Express (NICE), and the Bee-Line buses. When rollout is complete, OMNY can be used on virtually all transit going into and out of New York City, with the exception of New Jersey Transit.
How do I use OMNY?
- Simply tap your mobile phone or NFC debit/credit card to the reader. When the card has been successfully read, the reader will display "GO" with green lights with an arrow pointing to the turnstile.
- OMNY cards can also be obtained at convenience stores including 7-Eleven and registered online. These can be used if you do not have a debit or credit card. OMNY cards cannot be obtained from ticket machines or stored in mobile wallets at the moment.
Why use OMNY over MetroCard?
- OMNY is simpler and easier to use than MetroCard. All you need is your phone. OMNY is friendly for those traveling out of town and OMNY users get benefits if they frequently use it.
- Using OMNY 12 times with the same card or device within a given week (starting from Monday) will guarantee free rides until the end of the week. This means that it can be cheaper than using a MetroCard to pay.
- MetroCards may stop being issued or working in the future. While the MTA has not set a timeline for the sunset of MetroCards, these magnetic stripe cards and paper tickets may be completely phased out in favor of contactless. This move has already been happening on many train systems across the world, including Chicago's Ventra for their L and Metra, the Bay Area's Clipper for BART and Muni, London's Oyster for the Underground and Overground, and Japan's Suica for various JR trains.
What if I want a MetroCard?
- MetroCards can still be obtained at ticket machines across the New York City Subway, PATH, the Long Island Rail Road, Metro North, and the Staten Island Railway. Don't expect them to last forever, though.
