New York City - MetroCard for the Rapid Transit & Local Buses

Tickets for single ride on New York City's subway and local buses cost $2.75 regardless of the distance. Purchase tickets from the vending machines but a convenient and cheaper option is the MetroCard, a prepaid plastic card that you swiped onto a reader when boarding the bus or entering the subway.

• The Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard offers a single ride for $2.50 and you can purchase the value of the card from $5 to $100.  
• The 7-Day (cost $30) and 30-Day (cost $112) Unlimited Ride MetroCard offers unlimited travel and greater savings.
• The 7-Day Express Bus Plus MetroCard (cost $55) offers unlimited travel on the subway, local buses, and city's express buses.

Purchase the MetroCard from the station booths or vending machines, and you can reload the card before its value depletes. The MetroCard offers automatic transfers between subway and bus, and between buses.

MetroCard vending machine by Alistair McMillan

Using the vending machines by Chensiyuan