About reduced fares
- The reduced fare is $1.35, or half of the base fare ($2.75) for subways and local buses.
- A Reduced-Fare MetroCard is available for riders who use mobility aids or have service animals.
- If you already have a Reduced-Fare MetroCard, you can switch to OMNY. Just use the digital assistant to link your Reduced-Fare benefit to your smart phone with digital wallet enabled, or a contactless card. It’s quick and easy.
Qualifying disabilities
- Receiving Medicare benefits for any reason other than age
- Serious mental illness and receiving Supplemental Security Income
- Blindness
- Deafness or Hearing Loss
- Ambulatory Disability
- Cognitive Disability
- Other Physical Disability
How to apply for a Reduced-Fare MetroCard
You can submit an application online, by mail, or in person. See how to apply.
Once you have a Reduced-Fare MetroCard, you can tap and ride with OMNY! Use your smartphone, wearable device, or contactless credit or debit card for reduced-fare rides and free transfers.
How to apply for a Reduced-Fare Metro-Card
Switch to OMNY for auto-refills
Link your Reduced-Fare benefit to a smartphone, wearable decide, or a contactless debit or credit card and you won’t have to reload your card with fare value.
How to refill your card
At a MetroCard Vending Machine
- Insert your reduced-fare card into the MetroCard machine in stations.
- Refill it the way you normally would.
- When you get your card back, you can swipe it as usual and the reduced fare will be automatically applied.
At a Mobile Sales Bus or Van
See the schedule for our buses and vans.
Automatically, with EasyPay
Sign up to have your reduced-fare card refilled automatically. Details are below, under other options for paying the reduced fare. You can also call us if you need help.
Transferring value from an expired card
At a mobile sales bus or van
To transfer value from an expired card to a new one, visit one of our mobile sales buses and vans.
At our Customer Service Center
You can also make an appointment to visit our Customer Service Center at 3 Stone Street in Lower Manhattan.
At a station booth
Only a few station booths are making reduced-fare transactions. You can visit these locations.
The Bronx
- 161 St-Yankee Stadium , Booth N203, 161 Street & Grand Concourse
- E 180 St , Booth R325, East 180th Street & Morris Park Avenue
- Pelham Bay Park , Booth R423, Pelham Bay Park & Westchester Avenue
Brooklyn
- Atlantic Av Barclays Center , Booth R610, near the northbound lines
- Crown Heights Utica Av , Booth R626, at Eastern Parkway
- Kings Highway , Booth B24, between East 15th and 16th streets
Manhattan
- 42 St-Times Square , Booth R151, West side of 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue
- 96 St , Booth R168, Broadway between West 95th and West 96th streets
- Fulton St , Booth N95, on the line at the Broadway entrance
Queens
- Flushing Main St , Booth R533, at the Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue entrance
- Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Av , Booth N324, at the entrance on 74th Street and Broadway
- Jamaica Center-Parsons/Archer , Booth N606, at the Archer Avenue entrance
Staten Island
- St. George
Where and when you can use reduced fares
- On the subway and on local buses: Anytime
- On express buses: Anytime except weekday rush hours, from 6-10 a.m. and 3-7 p.m.
- On the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North: Anytime except weekday morning rush hours to NYC terminals, from 6-10 a.m.