If you're looking to get around New York City, the express bus is a great option. It costs $7 for most riders and runs between boroughs, often during weekday rush hours. You can pay for your ride using a MetroCard, OMNY, coins, or a SingleRide ticket. If you're using a MetroCard, make sure you have the 7-Day Unlimited Express Bus Plus MetroCard as the regular Unlimited Ride MetroCard is not accepted on express buses. With OMNY, you can tap your contactless card, smartphone, or wearable device at the reader near the driver. For coin payments, insert your exact change into the farebox. If you're paying with a SingleRide ticket, you can purchase one from a ticket kiosk on the sidewalk near the bus stop.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Cost of riding an express bus | $7 |
Payment methods | OMNY, MetroCard, coins |
Unlimited Express MetroCard | 7-day or 30-day |
What You'll Learn
Paying with a MetroCard
You can pay for your ride on an express bus in New York City with a MetroCard. You can buy a MetroCard at vending machines in every subway station. If you want to use a MetroCard to pay for your express bus ride, you will need to buy an unlimited Express MetroCard, which is valid for 7 or 30 days.
If you are using a MetroCard to pay for your ride on a Select Bus Service bus, you must pay your fare on the sidewalk at a Select Bus Service station stop using a MetroCard or coin machine. You will then receive a receipt as proof of payment, which you must keep during your ride as it may be requested at random by MTA inspectors. If you don't have a receipt, you will be subject to a $100 fare evasion summons.
If you are paying for your ride on a local or limited-stop bus with a MetroCard, you must board through the front door and insert your MetroCard into the farebox near the driver, with the front of the card facing you and the black strip on the right. Your fare will be deducted automatically, and your card will pop back out.
You can also use a MetroCard to transfer to another bus or the subway for free within a 2-hour window from the first use. If you are transferring to another bus, you do not need a paper ticket. Simply use the same card throughout your journey, and your transfer will be applied automatically.
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Paying with a credit or debit card
You can pay for your ride on a New York City express bus using a credit or debit card. To do so, you must use a contactless card with the contactless symbol on the front or back. When boarding the bus, simply tap your card at the OMNY reader, a rectangular screen near the driver, and you're good to go.
The OMNY system is available on all MTA-operated express buses in New York City. OMNY readers are located at the front of the bus, and on Select Bus Service routes, they can also be found at the rear doors.
If you're using a credit or debit card to pay your fare, there's no need to worry about carrying exact change or having the correct amount in coins. Simply tap your card, and the fare will be deducted automatically.
You can also use your credit or debit card to purchase an unlimited MetroCard. These cards offer unlimited rides on express buses for 7 or 30 days and can be purchased at vending machines in every subway station.
Additionally, if you have a smartphone or smart device, you can add your credit or debit card to your digital wallet and use it to tap and pay at the OMNY reader. This provides a convenient way to pay your fare without having to carry a separate card.
It's important to note that while credit and debit cards are widely accepted on express buses in New York City, there may be instances where a particular bus or route does not accept card payments. Therefore, it's always a good idea to carry a small amount of cash or coins as a backup option.
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Paying with a smartphone
If you're looking to pay for an express bus in New York City with your smartphone, you can use the OMNY (One Metro New York) system. OMNY is a contactless fare payment system that allows you to tap and pay with your smartphone or wearable device.
To use OMNY with your smartphone, you'll need to download and set up a digital wallet app such as Apple Pay, Google Wallet, or Samsung Wallet. These apps allow you to add your credit or debit card as a payment method. Once set up, you can simply tap your phone on the OMNY reader, a rectangular screen near the driver, when boarding the bus. The screen will instantly confirm if the tap was successful, and the fare will be deducted from your card.
It's important to note that you may need to open your wallet app, depending on your device. Additionally, make sure your phone has enough battery power before you board the bus, as a dead phone may be treated as a fare evasion.
With OMNY, you can earn free rides by tapping. OMNY caps your weekly fares at $34 when you use the same card or device for every ride, giving you the benefits of an unlimited pass without paying upfront. However, express buses, group trips, and transfers do not count towards this cap.
While OMNY is available on all MTA local, limited, and Select Bus Service routes, as well as express buses, it may not be available on all express buses in all boroughs.
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Paying with cash
As of April 2019, the MTA's fleet of express buses no longer accepts cash fares. This means that you cannot pay with coins for your express bus fare in NYC. However, there are still other ways to pay for your express bus ride.
Previously, riders could pay the difference in coins when their MetroCards did not have enough funds. This was especially useful for occasional riders or those who lived in areas where nearby stores that sold MetroCards were often out of stock. Now, riders must use other payment methods to board the express bus.
The express bus fare is $7 for most riders, and you can pay with a 7-Day Unlimited Express Bus Plus MetroCard, a SingleRide ticket, or a contactless credit or debit card, smartphone, or wearable device using OMNY. OMNY readers are rectangular screens located near the driver, and you can tap your card or device on the reader to pay your fare.
If you are using a MetroCard, insert it into the farebox near the driver, with the front of the card facing you and the black strip on the right. Your fare will be deducted automatically, and your card will pop back out.
It's important to note that you cannot use a regular Unlimited Ride MetroCard on express buses. You must have the 7-Day Unlimited Express Bus Plus MetroCard for these routes. Additionally, the OMNY fare-capping program does not apply to express buses.
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Paying with a SingleRide ticket
Firstly, it is important to know that the fare for most riders on express buses in NYC is $7. This is the amount that will be deducted from your SingleRide ticket when you pay for your trip.
When boarding the express bus, look for the farebox near the driver. You will insert your SingleRide ticket into this farebox to pay your fare. Make sure to hold your ticket with the logo facing you and the black magnetic strip on the right side.
Insert your SingleRide ticket into the farebox, and your fare will be automatically deducted. The ticket will then pop back out, and you can retrieve it. Keep in mind that you will need to insert your ticket each time you transfer buses or to the subway. Transfers are free within two hours of paying your fare, but you will need to show your ticket as proof of payment.
SingleRide tickets are available for purchase at vending machines in many subway stations and retail locations. OMNY card vending machines, which sell refillable cards, are also available at many subway stations.
It is worth noting that SingleRide tickets are not the only way to pay for an express bus in NYC. You can also use a MetroCard, a 7-Day Unlimited Express Bus Plus MetroCard, or tap to pay with a contactless credit/debit card, smartphone, or OMNY card. Additionally, exact change in coins is accepted on some buses.
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Frequently asked questions
The cost of riding an express bus in NYC is $7 for most riders.
You can pay for an express bus in NYC using a MetroCard, OMNY card, or with coins. Note that you cannot use a regular Unlimited Ride MetroCard on express buses. You can only use a 7-Day Unlimited Express Bus Plus MetroCard.
You can buy a MetroCard at vending machines located in every subway station.