OMNY readers at turnstilesSource: OMNY

What you need to know

  • Apple Pay is now accepted at Penn Station in NYC.
  • The MTA has rolled out its OMNY contactless payment system.
  • The transit agency plans to implement the service at all 472 subway stations and bus routes.

Starting today, iPhone and Apple Watch owners will be able to use Apple Pay to travel at New York City's Penn Station. Reported by MacRumors, the MTA, New York City's public transit agency, announced that it has brought its tap-and-go payment system to the iconic station.

Called OMNY, the payment system enables travelers to pay for their fare using their contactless credit card, debit card, or prepaid card. It also supports digital wallets like Google Pay™, Apple Pay®, Samsung Pay®, and even Fitbit Pay™. Visa, Mastercard, and American Express cards are all currently supported, while Discover cards "will be supported soon".

According to the MTA, 96 OMNY readers are now accepting contactless payments at 18 turnstile arrays serving the A, C, E and 1, 2, 3 lines at the station. The MTA is planning an aggressive expansion of the technology, saying that it is adding 85 more stations by the end of the month. MTA-operated buses in Manhattan will start to implement OMNY by March of 2020. By the end of 2020, the MTA plans to make OMNY available at all 472 of its subway stations and bus routes.

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According to MacRumors, OMNY is currently limited to full-fare, pay-per-ride use. Additional fare options are planned to be added in future phases of the system's rollout across Manhattan.

Apple Pay and Express transit allows riders to rid the need of a physical MetroCard and use their iPhone or Apple Pay to pay for their fare. Travelers at Penn Station, and soon elsewhere, can simply hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near the OMNY reader without having to authenticate or unlock with Face ID, Touch ID, or their passcode. It's going to make travel in NYC faster and even more convenient as the OMNY continues to roll out across the city.