New York’s subway system is ending its MetroCard era and moving fully to OMNY, a tap-and-go fare system the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has rolled out since 2019. The last day to buy or refill a MetroCard is Dec. 31, 2025, the agency said, as riders increasingly pay by tapping a credit card, phone or other smart device at turnstiles.
Officials say the shift has already largely taken hold: more than 90% of subway and bus trips are paid using OMNY. The agency pitched OMNY as a payment method similar to how people pay for other everyday purchases, and it has built the transition on contactless tap-and-go technology instead of MetroCard swipes.
The MetroCard arrived in 1994, replacing tokens that had been used for decades, and it quickly became part of daily transit life. Jodi Shapiro, a curator at the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn, said MetroCards “introduced a whole other level of thinking for New Yorkers” and recalled how subway and bus riders had relied on brass-colored tokens purchased from station booths before the card rollout.
When MetroCards first launched, the swipe itself became a learned skill, with the MTA running public campaigns to teach riders how to swipe correctly. The transit authority also briefly explored the idea of a mascot, the Cardvaark, before abandoning the concept, according to the report.
Over the years, MetroCards also developed a collector culture, including special commemorative editions tied to events and popular culture. The report noted cards featuring themes such as the “Subway Series” between the New York Mets and New York Yankees in the 2000 World Series, and designs that included artists and entertainment, from David Bowie and Olivia Rodrigo to New York hip hop acts including Wu-Tang Clan, the Notorious B.I.G. and LL Cool J.
Even as new riders adapt to OMNY, some MetroCard regulars said the transition reflects more than a payment change. Near Times Square, Ronald Minor, 70, said he was sad to see the cards go and said the new machines can be harder for older riders, adding, “It’s hard for the elders. ‘Don’t push us aside and make it like we don’t count. You push these machines away, you push us away.’”
The OMNY rollout is coming with features designed to reduce the friction that some riders experienced during the earlier MetroCard transition. Riders who do not want to use a credit card or smart device can buy an OMNY card and reload it, similar to the way MetroCards worked, and existing MetroCards will continue to function into 2026 so riders can use remaining balances.
The MTA also pointed to cost savings and fare caps as part of the OMNY shift. The agency said the changeover saves at least $20 million annually in MetroCard-related costs, and it will provide unlimited free rides within a seven-day period because the fare is capped after 12 rides—maxing out at $35 a week once the fare rises to $3 in January.
Still, some riders and critics have raised questions about data collection and surveillance as contactless payments become the norm. At the Port Authority stop, John Sacchetti said he likes that his balance shows up as he swipes through a turnstile so he can track spending, and he said he expects OMNY will become manageable once people adjust, telling reporters: “It’s just like everything else, just something to get used to. Once I get used to it, I think it’ll be okay.”
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