If you’ve never visited New York City before, you might be feeling nervous about how to tackle NYC’s famous transit system: the subway. It might seem complicated, but we have a few tips to get you on the right track.
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Navigating the NYC Subway: MetroCard and OMNY Fare Options
The New York City subway is an efficient way to explore the city, but figuring out how to pay can be tricky. Here’s a simple guide to MetroCard and OMNY options to help you navigate the system like a pro.
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Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard
- Cost per ride: $2.90
- Load money onto your card and pay per trip. The minimum balance for a new card is $5.80 (two swipes), and there’s a $1 fee for a new card.
- Transfers: Your MetroCard allows free transfers between subways and local buses within two hours.
- Combo Option: Combine Pay-Per-Ride value with Unlimited Rides on one card—time-based rides will always be used first.
Unlimited Ride MetroCards
If you’re planning to explore NYC extensively, these are the best options:
- 7-Day Unlimited: $34 for unlimited subway and local bus rides for 7 consecutive days.
- 30-Day Unlimited: $132 for unlimited subway and local bus rides for 30 consecutive days.
- 7-Day Express Bus Plus: $64 for unlimited rides on subways, local buses, and express buses for 7 days.
Tips:
- Each MetroCard can hold only one unlimited refill at a time.
- Unlimited cards can’t be paused once activated.
- PATH trains, AirTrain JFK, and express buses deduct from Pay-Per-Ride value instead of unlimited time.
Single Ride Tickets
- Cost: $3.25
- Available only at ticket machines. These are one-time use and not refillable.
- Transfers: Single-ride tickets do not allow subway-to-bus transfers.
- Why would you choose? These are useful if you don’t want to put the $5.80 minimum on a pay-per-ride card.
What Is OMNY?
OMNY stands for One Metro New York, a contactless fare payment system that’s replacing MetroCards. With OMNY, you can tap your contactless credit or debit card, smartphone, or wearable device directly at the turnstile to pay the same $2.90 fare as a Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard.
To get started with OMNY:
- Make sure your payment method is contactless-enabled. Look for the contactless symbol on your credit or debit card or enable payment options on your phone or smartwatch.
- Simply tap your card or device on the OMNY reader at the turnstile. There’s no need to purchase or reload a separate card.
- You can track your spending and set up auto-refill by creating an account on the OMNY website.
OMNY is easy, convenient, and eliminates the need to carry a MetroCard.
Quick Tips for Tourists
- Start with a 7-Day Unlimited Card: Perfect for visitors spending a week in NYC, giving you unlimited rides for $34.
- Keep Your MetroCard Handy: Use it for subway and bus transfers within two hours.
- Use OMNY for Convenience: If you prefer not to carry a MetroCard, tap your phone or card directly at the turnstile.
The NYC subway might seem intimidating, but with a little preparation, you’ll be navigating the city like a local in no time!
Image: Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York/Flickr
ADDITIONAL TIPS FOR MASTERING THE NYC SUBWAY
Pre-plan your routes
Before you come to the city, study the official MTA subway map for just a few minutes (the MTA, or Metropolitan Transit Authority, runs all subways, buses, and trains in the city). Find the place where you’re staying on the map, and be sure you know the nearest subway lines. You can plug in the route from your hotel to a venue using a service like Google Maps. Giving yourself a simple orientation like this could save you a huge headache once you’re rushing around the city unsure how to get where you’re going.
Check for the next train on your phone—you can download the official MTA app for free. It's got real-time information on how far away the next trains are. You can download it for Google Play or on the App Store.
Pick up or download a map
You can’t always count on your smartphone to direct you to the right subway stop. Physical maps and downloaded images of the MTA subway map won’t fail you when your cell service drops mid-route while you’re underground. Or pick up a City Guide! They're free and have subway, bus, and city maps included.
Give yourself extra time
Don’t always trust the approximate travel times cited by apps and maps. Unpredictable service disruptions are inevitable and fairly frequent, so your trip from Tribeca to the Empire State Building may take 45 minutes rather than the 30 you expected. It’s also good sense to allow more time in case you get turned around in this brand-new terrain.
Find maps on the subway
If you don’t have your map handy, you can find maps posted in every subway car and on subway platforms as well. You may have to travel to the other end of the car to find it, but it’s always a godsend when you’re lost. Subway stations also have maps posted near the ticket booths and on the platforms.
Don’t head Uptown when you need Downtown
Make sure you don’t end up in Brooklyn while trying to get to the Met! Figure out if you’re going uptown or downtown, and walk down the corresponding stairs. Sometimes you have to enter the correct direction from street-level, meaning uptown and downtown entrances will be located across the street from one another (you may have to pay two fares if you enter the wrong one and have to switch over). Other times the signage inside the station will direct you to the correct platform, whether Uptown or Downtown.
Don’t get on the wrong train
This might be easier said than done! Keep an eye out to make sure you don’t get on an express train when you need a local. Also, some tracks are home to multiple lines, so check the outside of the car (so you don’t get on the E instead of the M, for example). And as mentioned, make sure you’re going the right direction: uptown or downtown. If you get turned around, just consult the maps inside the car.
Notice weekend disruptions
The MTA schedules subway maintenance on weekends so that subway delays don’t disrupt anyone’s weekday commute. That means the F train might run on the A line from late Friday night until early Monday morning, for example. These disruptions could also mean your train skips the station where you need to get off, or your desired train isn’t running at all. These changes will always be clearly posted on papers inside the station and announced inside the subway cars by the conductor. For service updates, the MTA posts notices here.
Walk to the end of the platform
Or, walk to the area where people aren’t already crowded to avoid the most crowded cars (generally everything but the first and last car) on the subway.
You only have to pay once
Once you’re underground, you can transfer to other lines at the next station without any extra charge. No matter how many transfers you make, one ride is just $2.90.
Wait for others to get off
Conductors sometimes yell this directive at passengers, but we’ll tell you more gently. Wait for passengers to get off the subway before you step inside.
Pay attention at each stop
Train conductors typically announce each station where the train makes a stop. However, some train cars have abysmal PA systems or someone is playing reggae on loud from a portable speaker. Don’t count on hearing the station announcements, in other words, and look out the subway windows to verify the station. You don’t want to miss your stop!
Beware of rush hour
If you’re waiting for the 6 train at 6pm at Grand Central, good luck. You may not board the next 6 as it will be crowded with commuters heading home. With less people commuting to offices in the post-Covid era, it's not as tricky as it used to be, but don't be surprised to find plenty of people in a car around 9am and again around 5:30pm.
Brace yourself
Subways lurch, shake, and shudder their way along the track, and the sudden starts and stops can topple even the most experienced subway rider. Keep one hand on the rails to avoid falling. If you dare to take your hand away, remember to stand parallel to the walls of the subway car to maintain balance, and keep your knees soft. As one fellow rider once told us, “It’s like surfing!”
Show courtesy
It’s the Golden Rule: treat others the way you’d like to be treated. While on the subway, offer elderly, disabled, and pregnant people your seat, and make space for others around you whether you're standing or seated. Don’t spread your bags over the bench, turn your music on loud, or get rowdy with your group. A little camaraderie is part of subway culture, but a full-on party is not.
Ask for help!
Yes, there are tools around the subway station to assist travelers, but there’s no better assistance than directions from a seasoned New Yorker. Look for a kind face, and ask politely for help getting to your destination. New York gets a bad rap for rude residents, but we’ve found plenty of helpful folks throughout the subway system in the city. Besides, the best part of visiting a new place is chatting with locals!
If you want to find out how to navigate other transit systems like a pro click here for buses and here for the railroads.
Reporting by Kristen O'Neal and Samantha Aronson.
