

Contactless options will help people avoid this problem completely. Lines can form up quickly at MetroCard ticket booths, which can cause people delays in getting on their train. “If you just add it to your phone, you can just tap and go.” “You don’t have to stand in line to buy a pass or ticket,” Hariramani said. Prakash Hariramani, director of Google Pay at Google, said using a digital wallet for contactless payments will directly add more convenience for riders, and the system will also be more secure. Is the new OMNY system change for the sake of change? There are problems with the existing MetroCard system that OMNY directly addresses. The benefits of contactless payments in transit Google You can request a contactless card from your bank if you don’t want to use a digital wallet. As for physical cards, American Express, Visa, and Mastercard all support OMNY, so if you have a contactless card from them, you’ll be able to just tap and go. The OMNY system works with most digital wallets, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, and Fitbit Pay.


At launch, you’ll only be able to pay per ride, but the MTA said additional fare options - such as time-based passes - will be available down the road. They have a small area with the NFC symbol, and that’s where you can just tap your contactless card, phone, or wearable, to pay for a ride. You may have already seen new turnstiles on the 4, 5, and 6 subway lines supporting the OMNY system.
