As the MTA Goes Digital, What Does It Mean for New Yorkers?
NEW YORK, NY – It’s time to say goodbye to one of New York’s most visual icons. The MetroCard will be retired by the end of this year as the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) continues to digitize the city’s subway system.
The move to modernize the subway is not a new effort, with the OMNY fare system having been rolled out in 2019. All subway stations and buses have machines available to pay with a contactless card or mobile device.
But what is it about the MetroCard that makes it so iconic?
Introduced in 1994 after the retirement of tokens, the MetroCard has long held a central role in the city’s subway system. It offers riders the ability to ride the train with a single swipe which will continue transitioning into a single tap with OMNY’s tap-and-go fare system.
Its bright gold lines, with blue font have become a cultural artifact that has inspired art, fashion, and jewelry.
The MTA has collaborated with many artists and celebrities over the years to sell limited edition MetroCards with their images on it. Partnerships include Bronx-born rapper Ice Spice, KISS, David Bowie, singer Olivia Rodrigo and it most recently featured three popular NYC content creators to commemorate its final card collaboration.
The design of the current Metrocard was introduced in 1997 which helped set off a new era of public transportation for the city. A year later–for the first time– the MTA introduced discounts for weekly and monthly passes to ride the bus or subway.
The transition hasn’t come without its challenges. Although the MTA says the switch will save the state agency at least $20 million per year, as of now, about 40 percent of riders still don’t use the tap-and-go system.
OMNY currently lacks an accessible and widespread cash payment option that many low-income and undocumented people without bank accounts rely on to pay for public transportation.
Want to have a keepsake of New York history? MetroCard machines are still available at almost every station but the MTA plans to continue replacing them with OMNY vending machines.
MetroCard sales will end December 31, 2025 but riders will still be able to use their MetroCards until 2026. Although the MTA plans to fully phase them out by the end of this year, so make sure to get a piece of New York history while you still can!
Isabella Morales is a City Newsroom reporter covering transportation. Born and raised in Miami, she speaks Spanish as well.
