OMNY

Bryant Park has one at the 40th Street end.

As of Oct. 10, 2023 the JFK AirTrain will accept contactless cards and OMNY.

https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/ahead- ... ments-omny

"New Fare Payment System Will Accept Contactless Debit/Credit Cards, Digital Wallets and OMNY Cards

AirTrain Remains Free for Travel Between Terminals

Governor Kathy Hochul, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced that AirTrain JFK will begin accepting fare payments using the MTA’s OMNY “Tap and Go” contactless payment readers starting Tuesday, October 10th. OMNY will be available at select gates in both the Jamaica and Howard Beach stations, where an $8.25 one-way fare is required to enter or exit the system, and the AirTrain remains free for travel between airport terminals.

“We are making it easier than ever for travelers to take the train to JFK, and for visitors to our great city to use one of its most essential services – the MTA,” Governor Hochul said. “As we continue to rollout OMNY throughout the system, I encourage everyone to take advantage of this service and travel safely.”

The new fare payment system will accept contactless debit/credit cards, digital wallets and OMNY cards. Fare gates that accept MetroCards will remain available and an option for customers. The initial installation of OMNY at the Jamaica and Howard Beach stations represents the first phase of the integration process. The number of OMNY-equipped gates will steadily increase over the next 15 months. By the end of 2024, the OMNY “Tap and Go” contactless readers will be fully integrated into all fare gates......"

It is a very long article, to see all of it go to the link above.

I was headed downtown this morning and decided to take the D at the Fordham Rd/Concourse station. I, of course, knew the OVMs were there but was surprised that the machines were actually live and online. To check it out I decided to add 2 fares ($5.80) to my OMNY card (which I keep as back-up in case my Reduced fare Senior MetroCard fails - which it has done a few times).

The screens were basically easy to follow and I added the amount to my OMNY card without any problem.
(Since I had registered this card when I purchased it I got an email telling me the card is now active).

I did not have time to 'Play around" with the various screens/selections. I may try that later this week.

One thing I did notice is that if you choose to buy an OMNY card, all that is mentioned is that you have to put a minimum of $1 on it. There is no mention of a $5 cost for the card. Does this mean the OMNY Card will be free, or they will hit you with the news when you go to pay? I will check this out next time.

There are news articles that state that the machines are in 6 stations: 86th Street and Lexington Avenue (Manhattan – 4, 5, 6 trains), Bowling Green (Manhattan – 4 and 5 trains), Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center (Brooklyn – 2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, N, Q, R trains), Junction Boulevard (Queens – 7 train), Fordham Road (the Bronx – 4 train), Fordham Road (the Bronx – B and D trains). For whatever reason there is no mention of the one at 42nd St/Bryant Park in the 40th St/6th Av entrance (maybe this one is just in place until they see how the other ones work out).

Allan wrote: ↑Tue Oct 31, 2023 10:55 am One thing I did notice is that if you choose to buy an OMNY card, all that is mentioned is that you have to put a minimum of $1 on it. There is no mention of a $5 cost for the card. Does this mean the OMNY Card will be free, or they will hit you with the news when you go to pay?

https://new.mta.info/article/introducin ... g-machines

As a limited-time introductory offer, you can buy a new reloadable card for $1

Thanks for the link.

I wonder how much use/purchases they will get at either FordhamRd station. When I was at the Concourse line station, people just walked by the OMNY machines (and didn't even give them a second glance) to the MVMs at the opposite side of the unpaid area.

I would have chosen stations in the Bronx like Parkchester on the 6 and Gun Hill Rd on the 2 for the pilot.

This link is to the MTA page showing stations where OMNY machines have been installed. It seems to imply that the machines in these stations are all active and can handle transactions. I was at 34th-Penn just recently and the one machine located at the entrance near Macy's to the n/b local platform was not yet active (aside from the screen being on). I was also at Chambers St on the 1,2,3 just recently and the machine was also not active. I will have to check some of these out. There was an indication I saw on a reddit posting that there was a machine at Grant Av (A) but that is not on the list.

https://new.mta.info/article/introducin ... g-machines


[Now if they would start sending out the Reduced-fare OMNY cards as they kept promising in 2023]