It must be different now.
I received a card with a photo, a magnetic strip,
a small hole near the magnetic strip, and a
cut-off corner. The letter it is attached to says
"Before you can use your new card you'll need to
put money on IT".

The MTA site says "MTA Reduced-Fare MetroCard is
personalized with A NAME and photograph and works
the same as a regular MetroCard."

OK. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that in almost two years, the entire system has changed.

Looks like they have really simplified this (finally!). You no longer have to show up at the office, you can do everything by mail, you need proof of age but that means a copy of driver license or almost any type of ID with photo and birthday on it (NOT just a Medicare card). And as already mentioned by GoodVoyage rush hour time restrictions on the
Reduced Fare MetroCard have to do with express
buses, LIRR, and Metro-North. There are NO rush
hour time restrictions for the card on the subway
or regular buses. In addition the reduced-fare card is NOT an elite card for locals, so for the price of postage and a 2x2 photo you can apply for and recieve the card, swipe it as a regular MetroCard on subways and buses and save some money.

Apply here: http://www.mta.info/nyct/fare/rfapply.htm

We arrived back from NY last week and used the subway and found it quite easy considering I get confused on our local Metro. I am a senior but my friend isnt so just paid the full amount. As we intended walking mostly we only got the 3 day pass to use to go to the furthest attractions. I swiped the card and handed it to my friend to use. I had also looked at the site before leaving home but as things take a while to sink in we waited until we got there.
If we sussed it I am sure you will,Good luck.

With no disrespect intended, why should a senior citizen feel entitled to a public transportation discount? Shouldn't children, students, the poor, handicapped and probably others be entitled to one too? Your body occupies the same space as mine does, so why should I pay full fare for being employed and between 18 and 65 and subsidize your ride? I will give you my seat, however, because my mother taught me to be polite! :)

With no disrespect intended, why should a senior citizen feel entitled to a public transportation discount? Shouldn't children, students, the poor, handicapped and probably others be entitled to one too?
_________________
They all, except the poor, have some sorts of discounts or free passes, although with the budget crunch, they are talking about eliminating the student discount. It is for NYC school kids only.

Many seniors have fixed incomes and it also a way to thank seniors for working for the past 40 years or more and contributing to society.

As opposed to MARTA in Atlanta, the NYC subway is egalitarian where people from almost all economic strata can be found.

You can do it! If you have 2 or 3 weeks you can do the whole process by mail but you do need to send passport type photos. Google NYMTA and keep looking for senior or discounted fares. They are perfectly willing to give the passes to seniors. I went in person to the office on South Street, way down by the Battery. It took about 2 hours what with waiting in line, but it is free. You get a card wiuth your picture on it and then you go to a station that has a human being and you give them the amont of money you want on the card and they enter it. Then you use it for subways and busses. For busses, you can also just pay the senior fare if you show your medicare card. It's really a good system, you just have to know where to start. They also do have mobile vans that go to different neighborhoods where you can get the passes--the schedule is on the web-site, but if the times and places don't coordinate with your plans, it's better to just go to south Street. There's plenty of sightseeing to do down there at the tip of Manhattan anyway! Good luck--don't be intimidated!

Whoops. The downtown office for the MTA is on Stone St. not South St. It's still way downtown by the Battery.

I have a Medicare Card, also a supplemental insurance card because I'm covered out of the country if I'm ill or have an accident. It's comforting, mainly, as I've never had to use them, but I've taken them along to all continents.

Foreign credit cards may not work with the MTA vending machines. Here's a tip: if the machine asks for a zip code (postal code) to verify the credit card, foreigners should type "99999" to satisfy the five-digit zip code requirement.

This and other helpful info can be found at:
http://www.mta.info/metrocard/mvms/index.htm


I wasn't aware of the "99999" trick when a man speaking with a British accent told me he was having problems using his VISA card at the MTA machine in LaGuardia Airport. Because the machine didn't take cash (the smaller/older MTA vending machines accept only credit/debit cards), he gave me $20 and I bought a Metrocard for him with my credit card. This was in Nov 2009.

I'd never heard that 99999 trick either. I stood helpless when a foreigner was having trouble at a gas station here for the same problem. Great to know that. Does it usually work in most US machines?

Since what I found is generally related to the topic; I found a free application for Pocket PC cell phones that gives you subway directions to over 300 of the subway systems in the world. For my upcoming trip to NY I downloaded the NY subway part. Enter where you are and where you want to be and it will tell you how to get there on the subway. It looks pretty useful!
http://www.freewarepocketpc.net/ppc-...ro-v5-7-0.html

This is the funniest post I've read in a while :-)

"I am sorry to ask such a dumb question, but MTA's website is more confusing than helpful."

oh really?! Try the LA bus&subway system. They got a few bus companies that dont transfer for free, we in NYC got just 1 that accepts the SAME metro cards!

"We will spend three days in NYC with a party of 8 people, including 4 seniors. How do we get subway tickets?"

After 3 days, you'll be leaving with 6, at most 7.
Tickets for the subway are available, as are bus, broadway shows tickets, topless review shows, restaurant reservations, divorce court, parking violations payments, and most everything New Yorkers do, at the TKTS counter on Broadway.

"How do we get the tickets? Are there machines or ticket booths?"

Yes, but the machines tend to curse at out of towners. Toll booth tellers dont speak English... in fact no one in NYC does.

"How can we pay? Do the machines accept bills or credit cards?"

You dont. Just do what every New Yorker does, jump over the turnstiles. DO NOT use credit cards in those vending machines, you might get chicken low mein w/fried rice instead of a ticket.

"Do they give change?"

No, this is NYC, no change for tourists.

"at the Walk-In Service Center on 3 Stone Street with a birth certificate."

You do have one, dont you? How would you prove you are a native born American in case you run for president :-)
Oh wait, I hear Hawaii issues a certificate of live birth to those born in foreign countries.

"Is this really true? Are tourists exepected to go to this center, get photographed etc. just to buy a Metro Card?"

You as well get fingerprinted, analy probed, get an eye exam, blood pressure checked, and finally your toes are tickled by a sadistic clown.

"website says, this fun pass is not sold at ticket booths,"

cuz this pass wont guarantee much fun... for that you'd have to go to Coney Island, W22st. Behold the amazing feats of sharp shootin' as the gang bangers shoot it out all night long for crack sellin' turf.

"Again, what kind of money do those machines accept?"

Pesos, Euros, monopoly, pounds, franks, rubles, anything but American dollars.

"Sorry that I ask these silly questions. But it really looks complicated"

Dont worry. Just pack heat with extra bullets and you'll be alright on the streets of the Big Apple.

This is a good time of year to go to Stone Street since the street is closed and you can eat lunch at the many tables from various restaurants. N.B. Where you sit is what you eat.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&s...treet&gs_rfai=

I saw some good, detailed information on transportation around New York City. I saw it on nyc-visitor-discounts.com. It also had some great ideas of saving money, discounts, and cheap ideas for doing things in nyc.

NeoPatrick, no way for me to confirm whether "99999" would work in most US machines but there is a certain logic to it. So I daresay it would work at other US machines.

If anyone can confirm this, do let us know.

According to a source I found, the greatest numerical zip code in use in the U.S. is 99950--Ketchikan, Alaska. Only 12 numbers are in use greater than 99900. 99999 is not a real code for anyplace in the U.S.

That's why 99999 would make a great code to indicate the credit card is foreign-issued and satisfy the machine's zip code requirement.

I forgot. Did someone mention they are not called subway tickets but Metrocards. Which in itself is ironic since NY'er call it the subway and not the Metro.

My wife and I, who are seniors from Canada, are going to NYC for 8 days. We plan to use the subway at least once a day, possibly twice. Should we purchase the 7 day subway pass? I am confused with all of these replies. Can you purchase the pass at a vending machine? If I purchase one pass, can it be used for both of us?

Norm_Goldman ,I answered on your other post too, but your question here is a little different

Up to 4 people can share a "pay per ride" Metrocard. That's just for convenience so you don't have to have 2 or more passes. If you think you might travel separately at any point, it's better for each person to have a pass

"Unlimited Metrocards" are only to be used by one person. If you try to use it a second time, it will not work (for at least 18 minutes)

And when ordering your Senior Metrocard,you can also choose the Easy Pay option by giving a crdeit card number, refills when either %15.00 or $10.00 balance is left on the card.
Never have to worry about whther you have enough on your card. Easy.