OMNY card vending machines will be at all New York subway stations by the end of the year: what will happen to MetroCard
'27.04.2023'
Nadezhda Verbitskaya
In January 2021, the New York City Transportation Administration (MTA) announced that the OMNY contactless payment system will replace older MetroCards by 2023. Well, 2023 is already here. And it seems that the transition to the new system is almost over - soon OMNY machines will be at all metro stations, reports Time-out.
By September, OMNY vending machines will be installed at every subway station in New York. Yes, they will be at all 472 stations. These machines allow passengers to buy and top up OMNY travel cards. The OMNY system allows you to pay your fare using smart devices (iPhone, Fitbits, etc.), contactless bank cards, or a physical OMNY card.
On the subject: End of an era: MetroCard machines in New York will be decommissioned by 2023
Along with subway vending machines, the MTA plans to install OMNY readers at tram turnstiles on Roosevelt Island and at the AirTrain stop at Kennedy Airport. This is expected to be done by Thanksgiving 2023. Whether the Long Island Railroad and MetroNorth commuter trains will accept payment through OMNY is not yet known.
Despite the move to OMNY, the iconic MetroCard should not be mourned just yet. You can still ride the subway with the legendary yellow and blue card. Plans to completely phase out the MetroCard, which was originally planned for 2024, have been put on hold indefinitely.
