HowardR

Like my driver's license, my medicare card is always in my wallet!

Echnaton

Thank you so much for all your comments. I now have got a better understanding how the system works (or, not works). Some posts from New Yorkers made me really smile.

That the reduced fare is not intended for tourists clarifies a lot.

We are from Europe, and Aduchamp is of course right: We do not want to spend precious time with looking for discounts. It is a great relief for me to learn that vending machines accept credit cards. Smetz's post was also helpful. I was not aware that we can get with 4 people in one cab and that the fare is so low. A good alternative indeed.

Again, thank you all. And sorry for posting before bedtime (but when I post in the European morning, I usually get little response here).

NeoPatrick

"We are from Europe. . ."

So the thought that you meant TransAtlantic flight rather than transcontinental flight was indeed correct?

Aduchamp1

You are correct Neo. You are entitled to one continental or transatlantic breakfast.

NeoPatrick

hmmm. I was thinking more along the lines of a free flight!

mclaurie

Just want to add, it's not that the reduced fare is not intended for tourists. It's that in order to get the reduced fare on a metrocard, it requires a photo and some time invested. If you want to go and have photos taken and apply by mail, I think you certainly can. Just doesn't seem worth the trouble for a 3 day stay. If you ride on a NYC transit bus which will take coins (no dollar bills) you CAN get the reduced fare of $1.10.

SueNYC

You will find few cab rides that will be that cheap and if they are, it is often within an area that you could have walk faster.

That having been said, if you are heading in a direction that buses and subways don't go or if you are all dressed up for some unknown reason, taxis are certainly a viable option.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/pas...ger_info.shtml

Echnaton

Aaargh! It is one of those mistakes you make when you have to express yourself in a foreign language. It should have been "intercontinental" or, even more precise, "transatlantic". Mea culpa. Have mercy with visitors from good old Europe.

sandi

Even for non-NYers, a Medicare card at a subway booth will get a senior a senior fare. As this card will for bus travel. Though if there's some grey up-top, you don't have to show ID on the bus.

A friend living in NJ, just presented his Medicare card at booth and was provided a Senior Metrocard that he can add funds to whenever (no photo required), just as a NYer.

And, there is no restriction to hours when a Senior Metrocard can be used... there are still many seniors who work full-time; they're not all retired.

As both the subway and bus systems take the Metrocard (not tickets), if traveling by bus you can use coins (no paper notes accepted) and pay $1.10 for Seniors.

Personally, I've never used a machine to purchase Metrocard, just use the booth agent, which thankfully every station I use had a real person!

nyer

Regarding what Sandi said:
Many more locations, sadly, have no booth agent these days. And if they do find one attended, keep in mind that they only accept cash. You have to use a machine if you want to use a credit card. Machines also take cash and give change but only up to $6 per purchase I think. You can't put in a $50 bill for a $10 card , for example. and the "token" booth clerks also won't take large bills. Of course!

Sandi, since there are no tokens anymore(they used to give you a token plus a ticket good for another fare for the price of one token), and the only way to code half price fares is to put in on a special [photo] Senior metrocard, how did your friend get one? Was this recently?


Bus drivers use their discretion to allow a senior with or without ID to pay only $1.10 instead of the regular $2.25 fare, but I've never seen them turn anyone down.

Also, someone mentioned that if you wanted to buy 3 one-day passes, you'd have to go back to the subway fare machine each day. This is not the case, as you can buy as many cards as you want (one at a time) and then hold on to them unused until the expiration date printed on it (usually about a year). So you could buy 3 passes each at the beginning of your trip and then use one each day.
One warning about this: If you try to use the same credit card several times in a row, it will block the sale thinking that someone has stolen a card and is just buying up Metrocards! They do not make it easy for a legitimate purchase!


No simple answers to your original question. Just try to estimate how many times per day you might use public transportation. Keep in mind your groups tolerance for long or short walks in all sorts of weather. Once you've done that, we can make some educated guesses as to what might work best for you

jroth

And just one more word of advice to tourists - whatever you do - do not venture to 3 Stone Street to obtain a senior Metro card. It is equivalent to a visit to the Motor Vehicle Bureau - unless you consider a wrestling match with city bureaucracy a fun thing to do while you're in town and you have lots of time on your hands and don't mind passing a good piece of the day to save those couple of bucks.

NeoPatrick

jroth, funny you mention that. When I took my partner there to get his senior card, I think we were there maybe 10 minutes total and I remarked it was the most organized government office I'd ever been it -- and the very polite people (except the woman asking me why I wasn't getting one too -- duh I was about 6 years too young.

Peteralan

I received an email today from MTA stating the Seniors Metrocard is available for any Senior over 65 and asking me to complete an application even though I am not from the States.This is mailed to a Brooklyn address and takes 6-8 weeks to process and the card is then mailed to you.Alternatively you can apply in person to a Stone Street address in which case you need a photo and valid proof of age OR a Medicare card. It seems to me that unless you are staying for some time it doesn't appear worth the trouble.

jroth

NeoP - Yes - if you are a permanent resident it's worth the visit to 3 Stone St. since you will be using that Metro card on a permanent basis. But for the short term visitor - to journey down to Stone St. (if you know where that tiny street is) and then do some bureacracy wrestling - well - there are better thngs to do for the tourist/visitor. My visit there was required since I had to provide them with new credit card information and could not get that done on the phone (at least a one hour or more phone wait each time I tried). I've had better fun days.

GoodVoyage

I got mine through the mail, and am not a local.
It's good for four years, and is automatically renewed.

sandi

nyer - My friend had just returned to the NY area from CA, and simply went to his local subway station and got his Senior MetroCard there. Seemed strange to me, as others have indicated one has to, either, mail into or present one's self at Stone Street.

NeoPatrick

There is a difference between the senior identity card you get at Stone Street and a Senior Metrocard. You use and need the identity card to purchase the discounted Metrocard which you can buy anywhere. Perhaps, sandi, your friend still had the senior identity card? In theory, I believe you are supposed to have both cards on you when you ride buses or subway.

GoodVoyage

The photo ID _is_ the Metrocard.
You put money on it like a regular Metrocard.
If you do not have the Reduced Fare Metrocard
with photo, you can go to a station booth
with age identification or Medicare card and
purchase a single regular pay-per-ride $2.25
Metrocard and you will receive a white paper
ticket that is considered a 'return' ticket,
thereby offering the 50% discount. You have to
find a manned booth, cash only, small bills.
With the photo ID it's a one-time application
process, is renewed automatically, you can pay
by credit card or debit card on the machines,
purchase an unlimited pass, and use the ID on
every future trip to the city.
Also the only 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.

NeoPatrick

Wow. So confusing. Maybe things have changed or we're just talking about two different things. In June of 2008, we went to Stone Street with a passport type picture and ID and got Lee a senior transit identity card which had his picture right on it. This card could NOT be used to swipe through a turnstile to admit you to the subway. WE used it to then BUY a one month unlimited ride senior Metro Card which was half the price of a regular one. That card looked exactly like any other metro card. That was what was swiped to go through the turnstile and the ID card never ever got used again. I understood that if we went back and bought another senior metro card we'd have to show that to get it. Or perhaps you can just enter reduced fare in the machine and buy one -- but then you are supposed to have the ID card with you whenever you use it. I do know that we were warned you ALWAYS have to have that ID with you whenever you are using any reduced "fare" card or "ticket" if you want to call it that.

Maybe it's just semantics, but I'd call a Metro Card the thing you actually swipe through the turnstile to let you through, and the Senior ID card does NOT do that, so I don't get the statement "The photo ID _is_ the Metrocard." And I'm also 99% sure you can't get a month long reduced fare Metro Card without that photo ID card.

E_M

The only thing I'm 99% sure of is that the original poster, who is from Europe, will not have a medicare card in his wallet, even his flight is transcontinental.