MTA’s New Fare System, OMNY, to Arrive in The Bronx Next Month

Starting next month, some Bronx residents will no longer have to swipe their MetroCard to use the subway but will also have the ability to simply tap their phone for an even faster entry into the system.

OMNY (One Metro New York) contactless readers are being installed at E 138th Street on the 4 and 5 line, 149th Street Grand Concourse on the 2, 4, and 5 line and all stations from 161st Street/River Avenue to the end of the 4 line at Woodlawn in preparation for the system December launch in The Bronx.

OMNY readers installed at turnstiles at E 138th Street/Grand Concourse on the 4 and 5 (top) and at 149th Street/Grand Concourse on the 2/4/5 line (bottom)/Image courtesy of Ozzy

The beauty of the system is that you no longer will have to stand in line to refill your card at a broken MetroCard machine or a long line at a token booth since your smartphone will be directly linked to your debit or credit card so it will automatically be refilled.

You can also simply tap your debit or credit cards that are NFC enabled too.

The OMNY system is expected to be at all subway stations and buses by the end of 2020.

But for those who don’t have access to a smartphone, bank account or credit cards, do not worry as there will be a cash option available once MetroCards are phased out in 2023.

For Bronx residents living in the most underbanked borough, that’s a sigh of relief.

Check out the news from PIX11 below followed by an MTA video on how it works.

Ed García Conde

Ed García Conde is a life-long Bronxite who spends his time documenting the people, places, and things that make the borough a special place in the hopes of dispelling the negative stereotypes associated with The Bronx. His writings are often cited by mainstream media and is often consulted for his expertise on the borough's rich history.