An OMNY card isn’t necessary to ride the New York City subway if you have a credit or debit card with a chip, or a digital wallet in your smartphone. However, a physical OMNY card is also available for purchase at vending machines in subway stations, as well as at local bodegas and pharmacies. Cash can be used to purchase and load an OMNY card.

When the MetroCard replaced the New York City subway token in 1994, the swipeable plastic card infused much-needed modernity into one of the world’s oldest and largest transit systems.

A familiar ritual for millions of New Yorkers is quietly ending, ushering in a new daily experience beneath the city streets.

The base subway and bus fare goes up 10 cents to $3 on Sunday morning, as part of a larger increase in MTA tolls and fares. The hike completes the MTA's transition from MetroCard swipes to OMNY tap and ride.

The MTA’s new “modern” fare gates have claimed yet another victim, this time catching the head of a 5-year-old girl, sending her to the hospital with swelling, according to her

In 2025, the city famously experienced the worst summer for subway service in seven years. So it’s no surprise that Gothamist readers eagerly watched and shared any promising improvements, be it a new map or totally new train cars on their favorite line. Your viewing habits back up the saying that “everyone takes the train.”

Zohran Mamdani, the democratic socialist who campaigned on a promise to tackle the affordability crisis in one of America’s most expensive cities, vowed to govern “expansively and audaciously” as he was sworn in as New York City’s 112th mayor Thursday.

In 2025, swiping a plastic rectangle through a card reader feels like an anachronism, but the MetroCard shouldn’t be taken for granted. Every little yellow plastic rectangle represents a genuine technological marvel.