New York City Subway Fare Payment
 

I'm going to be in New York City (midtown) with my wife for a couple of days at the end of May.

We don't expect to use the subway more than a couple of times each way (going and then returning). We're seniors.

What's the easiest way to pay the fare?

Thanks.

You need a Metro Card which you can buy at a machine in the station, put amount in you want. If there is a manned window with an agent, you can bet a senior fare by showing Medicare card.. Then you swipe it at the turnstile to enter platform.

The easiest way is to pay full price by buying a pay-as-you go Metrocard from the machine. Put on the amount of money you expect to spend and use it accordingly. You can even share a single card.

The only way you can get the half-price senior fare for the subway is to pay cash. You can't use the machine. And that means you are limited to a single ride per payment with no subway-to-bus transfer. Similarly, you can pay with cash on the bus and get a bus-to-bus transfer but no bus-to-subway transfer.

You cannot purchase a senior reduced rate metro card at a subway booth however you can apply for one at a booth but since you are just visiting applying for a senior metro card would be a waste of time, here are the instructions if you are curious http://web.mta.info/nyct/fare/rfapply.htm
Just buy a metro card from the vending machine in the subway station with either cash or credit card, each ride (subway or bus) per person is $2.50 so approximate how many rides x $2.50 you will be taking and put that amount on the card. You will be charged a fee of $1.00 for the card so do not toss it out, it can be refilled if you use up all your money on the card. Also you and your wife can share the same card and the card can be swiped between buses and subways for a free transfer.

While it's always nice to get a senior discount, we're not talking about big bucks. Just a few dollars.

I'll buy a card on our first ride and use that.

Thanks.

Put $20 on your card. That represents 4 rides for the two of you.

if you are 65 or older you can get a reduced fare How to pay with cash

When you pay with cash, you must present an acceptable form of identification (ID). Show your ID to a subway Station Agent or Bus Operator. Accepted forms of ID are: a NYC Department of Aging ID card, Medicare card (Medicaid not accepted), Access-A-Ride ID card, MTA Reduced-Fare ID card (pre-1995).

Follow these instructions for riding the subway or bus:

In the Subway: Show your authorized ID to a station agent and pay the full $2.50 fare, and you will be issued a Reduced-Fare, Round-Trip MetroCard. One trip will be deducted for each use ($1.25 per ride) and the $1.00 new card fee does not apply.

This 2-trip MetroCard will be accepted at all subway stations, local buses and Staten Island Railway. It cannot be refilled, is non-negotiable, non-transferable and non-redeemable.


On the Bus: Show your ID to the Bus Operator and pay $1.25 in coins, exact change; no pennies or dollar bills accepted. You can request a transfer from the Bus Operator. The transfer is valid for two hours, and can be used to transfer to another local (not express) bus; the transfer cannot be used in the subway.


if there is no station agent or you don't want to be bothered you can get a metro card from a machine.. it will cost $1.00 and then add $. You can use cash and some machines will only take a debit or credit card. You can get a receipt. If you get a card this way you can add to it if necessary, both of you can use one card... swipe once at the turnstile for the first person who will then pass through and swipe again for yourself and go through the turnstile..

if it says you swipe again it means your metro card has not registered with the scanner and you need to swipe again until it reads "go" this happens a lot don't worry about it
you can use the card to transfer for free to the bus or another subway line not in the same direction within 2 hours of your first swipe

Since we'll be only taking a few rides on the subway, it's tempting to pay by cash and get the senior discount if there's a station agent and then have a card/ticket.

My question is, "if there's no agent in the starting station, can we still somehow pay with cash even though we understand we'll be paying the regular rate"?

Does the 2-trip MetroCard have an additional purchase cost such as the $1 fee for a regular MetroCard?

It seems to make sense that we take the senior discount if we can and it's convenient and pay the regular rate otherwise.

You can buy a regular (not a senior) one-trip paper Metrocard from a machine with cash, but it costs $2.75 (but does not cost the extra $1 fee for a regular plastic Metrocard).

The 2-trip senior Metrocard does not incur the $1 card cost.

<<Put $20 on your card. That represents 4 rides for the two of you.>>

That means it's 4 rides EACH for you and your wife.