About the Trial

Frequently Asked Questions

Contactless Payments & The Trial

About The Trial

How Does It Work

Security & Your Payment Tag/Card

Contactless Payments & The Trial

Q: How do I pay with my contactless payment tag/card?
A: There are 2 payment options available during the trial:
  1. Pre-Pay – purchase fares online with this option and you will receive the MTA’s 15% bonus. Your $20.87 purchase gives you $24 worth of subway fares. Pre-Pay purchases include an automatic-reload to keep you on the go throughout the duration of the trial. More About Pre-Pay
  2. Pay-As-You-Go – purchase your fare directly at the turnstile by tapping your payment tag/card at the special reader instead of stopping at a machine to buy a $2 MetroCard©. More About Pay-As-You-Go
Q: What payment options are not available?
A: Because this is a trial and we are testing this technology for the first time in the subway system, not all fare payment options can be offered. If the MTA moves forward with contactless payments in the transit system, all fare options will be available.

The following options are excluded from the trial:
  • The MTA 1-Day, 7-Day, and 30-Day Unlimited Ride options
  • All transit pretax benefit programs – customers enrolled in transit pretax benefit programs cannot use these benefits during the trial
  • Bus fare payments and bus transfers – you will not be able to use your payment tag/card on buses or for bus transfers
More About Payment Options
Q: Do I need a Citi/Citibank MasterCard payment tag/card with PayPass to participate?
A: Yes. Only cardholders with a Citi credit or Citibank Debit MasterCard payment tag, mobile phone, or card with PayPass will be able to participate in this trial. Credit - Apply Online Debit - Learn More
Q: What is a payment tag?
A: A payment tag is a key chain fob that has an embedded contactless payment computer chip and radio frequency antennae. These payment tags are tapped on a reader that securely transmits payment details wirelessly through the MasterCard acceptance network to make a purchase. Payment Tags to Use in the Trial
Q: Will Citi credit customers receive rewards such as ThankYou Points?
A: If you are in a rewards program through Citi, you will be able to earn rewards with every subway trial purchase you make. More About Citi ThankYou
Q: Can I use my payment tag/card at other places, not just the subway?
A: Your Citi credit or Citibank Debit payment tag/card with PayPass can be used at any merchant/retailer location that accepts MasterCard PayPass.

In addition, if your PayPass device is a card, it includes a magnetic stripe, so your card can also be used anywhere MasterCard is accepted around the world. Find Stores That Accept PayPass
Q: Is there a limit on the number of successive rides/fares I can purchase?
A: During the trial, your payment tag/card will have a pass back feature allowing up to ten (10) successive uses at the same turnstile at the same station location. This pass back feature is one of the many ideas we want to research and test during the trial.
Q: Will there be a daily limit on the card/payment tag?
A: Yes. There is a 20 ride per day limit during the trial.
Q: How can I check the status of my subway trial account?
A: You can check your fare balance and view your ride history on this Web site. Create an Account Sign In
Q: How will the transactions appear on my credit/debit card statement?
A: On your statement, you will see purchases listed in one of 2 ways based on how you purchased your fares:
  • Pay-As-You-Go Purchases – will often be displayed on your statement as several fares represented by a single charge. So 5 rides may appear as a $10 charge rather than 5 individual $2 charges. The merchant name “MTA SUBWAY PAYASUGO” will be used for these purchases.
  • Pre-Pay Purchases - will appear as charges of $20.87. The merchant name “MTA SUBWAY PRE-PAY” will be used for these purchases.
More About My Billing Statement
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About The Trial

Q: Which subway stations can I use my payment tag/card at?
A: There will be:
  • At least 1 payment reader in every station along the Lexington Avenue Line (4)(5)(6) from 138th St. Stations, Bronx through Borough Hall, Brooklyn
  • There is 1 payment reader at every subway entrance area in Grand Central and Union Square
  • The following stations will have turnstiles enabled to allow additional customers to participate in the trial:

    23rd/Ely Avenue in Queens on the (E) line

    Court Square Station in Queens on the (7) line
More About Participating Stations
Q: How will I be able to find the turnstiles to use?
A: Turnstiles with the contactless payment readers all feature the Subway Trial Symbol. Just look for this symbol and you will know which turnstiles accept your payment tag/card. More About Turnstiles in the Trial
Q: Why are the subway turnstiles not PayPass-branded, since the trial is powered by MasterCard PayPass
A: Turnstiles are not branded PayPass, as participation is limited to Citi and Citibank MasterCard payment tags/cards with PayPass. Other PayPass payment tags/cards, issued by other financial institutions, will not work at the turnstiles during the trial.
Q: I heard the trial has been extended?
A: Yes, due to the overwhelming positive response, the trial will continue to run into 2008.
Q: Will my PayPass device continue to work?
A: If your PayPass device is linked to your Citi credit MasterCard card you can continue to participate in the trial as normal.
Q: I have been using my Debit card with PayPass, how can I continue to participate in the Pay-As-You-Go option?
A: It's easy. If you have a Pay-As-You-Go account with this Web site simply Sign In to your account and you will be prompted to accept the new Automatic Payment Plan terms. Sign In
If you have just been tapping at the turnstile, then you will need to create a Pay-As-You-Go account on this Web site to continue to participate in the trial. Create Account
Q: What happens after the trial has concluded?
A: At the end of the trial, the contactless payment readers on the subway turnstiles will stop accepting your payment tag/card and you will need a MetroCard® again for your subway fares. At that point, system and market research information, as well as your valuable feedback, will be compiled and used to evaluate the project and determine next steps.

If you have a Pre-Pay fare balance at the end of the trial you will receive a refund for the remaining balance.
Q: Will contactless payments be available on buses during the trial?
A: You will not be able to use your payment tag/card on buses or for bus transfers. Should the MTA adopt this contactless payment system in the future, it would also be applied to buses.
Q: Will the entire NYC transit system get contactless payments?
A: There has been no decision to equip the entire transit system with contactless payments at this time. With this trial, the MTA is continuing its ongoing exploration of electronic payments technology and its potential for in-system transit use.
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How Does It Work

Q: How do contactless payments work?
A: Contactless payments are a fast and convenient way to pay. Contactless payment tags and cards have an embedded computer chip and radio frequency antennae. After you tap your tag/card on the reader, the reader securely transmits payment details wirelessly through the MasterCard acceptance network. Moments after you tap, green confirmation lights will display and you are on your way.
Q: How do contactless payments benefit me?
A: Contactless payments offer you a fast, secure and convenient way to pay, providing you with a new additional payment option. During the trial, you will be able to move through the stations more quickly by using your contactless payment tag/card, instead of swiping a MetroCard. You also have the convenience of setting a pre-paid recurring payment on your account, so that you never need to stop at the MTA vending machines. Instead, just go straight to the turnstile and use your Citi credit or Citibank Debit MasterCard payment tag/card with PayPass.
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Security & Your Payment Tag/Card

Q: How safe are contactless payments?
A: Thanks to special security technology, contactless payments are as safe as traditional card payment transactions. Your tag/card must be extremely close to the terminal to be read (typically one to two inches). Contactless payments also provide more consumer control, since the tag/card doesn’t have to leave your hands to be swiped by a merchant/retailer. U.S.-issued Citi credit or Citibank Debit MasterCard tags/cards with PayPass are protected with Zero Liability* coverage for fraudulent transactions. Exceptions apply.*
Q: What if a there is a problem with my payment tag/card?
A: A customer service representative is ready to assist with any tag/card related issues you may have during the trial.
  • Call 1-888-907-7277
Q: What do I do if my payment tag/card has been lost or stolen?
A: In the event of loss or theft of your payment tag/card, you should report it immediately to Citi/Citibank. This notification will prevent future authorization of transactions made against your account. This is the same for all MasterCard payment programs, whether they are enhanced with PayPass or not.
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* Zero liability applies when a MasterCard account is in good standing, cardholders have exercised reasonable care in safeguarding your card, and when a cardholder has not reported two or more unauthorized events in the past twelve months.
Zero Liability does not apply to MasterCard-branded cards issued
  • to an entity other than a natural person or primarily for business, commercial, or agricultural purposes, except the following card programs for small businesses:
    • Debit MasterCard BusinessCard® Card
    • MasterCard BusinessCard® Card
    • MasterCard Executive BusinessCard® Card
    • MasterCard® Professional Card
    • MasterCard® Small Business Multi Card
  • outside of the U.S. region, or
  • if a PIN is used as the cardholder verification method for the unauthorized transaction(s).