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OMNY payment program expands to Bronx subway lines

The OMNY payment system launched at the uptown Astor Street 6 subway station in Manhattan in May. 
The OMNY payment system launched at the uptown Astor Street 6 subway station in Manhattan in May. (File photo/amNewYork)

The OMNY system is arriving at numerous subway stations in the Bronx this month.

The MTA announced that crews will install the contactless fare payment system throughout February at stations on the 2/5 lines and the 6 line throughout the Bronx. Once completed, more than 180 subway stations in the city will have the OMNY program at turnstiles, allowing riders to pay for their ride with their chip-equipped credit cards or cellphones.

All subway stations and buses in New York City are expected to have the OMNY program by the end of the year, according to the MTA. The OMNY system will eventually replace MetroCards, which are expected to go the way of the subway token in 2023.

“The OMNY rollout remains on time and on budget and the rates at which people are adopting it as their preferred approach for payment continue to exceed even our most optimistic projections,” said Al Putre, OMNY Executive. “This month, hundreds of thousands of our customers in the Bronx will get to experience the benefits of avoiding the lines at their MetroCard machine and paying with a simple tap of their phone, wearable device or contactless credit card.”

More than 7 million payment taps have been recorded through the OMNY system since it debuted last May along the Lexington Avenue line in Manhattan.

All OMNY readers accept contactless Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover cards, as well as digital wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay and Fitbit Pay.

Once all OMNY readers are installed, the MTA will roll out additional fare-payment options such as unlimited ride, reduced fare and student fare passes. Customers will also be able to make payments with the OMNY Card, available through the OMNY app in 2021 and at retailers throughout the city.