OMNY readers

What are OMNY readers?

You might have seen them popping up in subway stations and on buses by now. OMNY readers are the gateway to the MTA’s new contactless fare payment system. OMNY readers serve as point-of-sale terminals, allowing you to pay your fare and enter the system – all in a split second.

Just like you swipe your MetroCard at MetroCard readers, you can tap your contactless card or smart device at OMNY readers. To pay your fare, simply tap your contactless card, smart phone, or wearable on the OMNY reader. The screen will instantly confirm if the tap was successful, sending you on your way quickly and easily.

What do the OMNY reader screens mean?

When you tap your contactless card or smart device, the OMNY reader will show a message on the screen to inform you if the tap was successful. This summary will help you understand what the OMNY reader screens mean.

Coming Soon

This screen indicates that OMNY is coming soon to your favorite subway stations, bus routes, and Staten Island Railway locations. Learn more about the rollout.

Tap Here

This screen indicates that the OMNY reader is operational and is ready for use. If you see this screen, just tap and go!

Go (Left Arrow)

You made a successful tap at an OMNY reader located at a subway turnstile or at the front door of a bus. Enjoy your ride!

Go (Up Arrow)

You made a successful tap at an OMNY reader located at a vertical subway turnstile or at an accessible service entry gate. Enjoy your ride!

Tap Again

Your tap was not successful, but you can try again.

Tap One Card

The OMNY reader has detected more than one contactless card or smart device and cannot determine which payment method to accept. Try again using only one payment method.

Payment Method Expired

You used a payment method that has expired and the OMNY reader cannot accept your tap. Try again using a different payment method.

Payment Not Accepted

Your payment method was not accepted. You may see this screen if you tapped a cancelled card or if your payment method is blocked or suspended.

Ride Limit Exceeded

You have exceeded the maximum number of taps for one payment method. Using the pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) option, you can tap and pay for yourself and up to 3 additional riders with the same payment method on a single trip.

No Entry

This screen appears in one of several scenarios. For example, you may see this screen if there is a problem with the entry point at the subway turnstile.

Not In Service

This screen appears in one of several scenarios. For example, you may see this screen if the subway turnstile is undergoing maintenance.

MetroCard Only

This screen appears when the OMNY reader is not in service, but the MetroCard reader is still in service. You can continue using MetroCard when this screen appears at OMNY readers.