Don’t toss your MetroCards just yet. They’ll still work through 2026 IF they’re not expired and you refill them before the end of the year. Dec. 31 is the final day you can buy or refill one.
Accessing an MTA vending machine before the deadline may feel like a scavenger hunt. The MTA does not provide a list of locations, so Epicenter turned to Reddit and on-the-ground reporting to map what we found.
- WTC PATH / Oculus (Manhattan): You can buy new cards or add money, but not buy an unlimited pass. New cards expire Aug. 31, 2026.
- Wakefield–241st (Bronx) and Jamaica AirTrain (Queens): Both stations sell and refill MetroCards.
- Howard Beach (Queens): You can buy new MetroCards, but can’t refill expired ones. New cards also expire Aug. 31, 2026.
- Bedford Park Blvd (Brooklyn): Riders reported they could refill unlimited monthlies.
Epicenter observed MTA staff assisting riders across stations. But remaining machines are scattered, far from many neighborhoods where many still rely on MetroCards—including seniors, riders without bank cards, unlimited riders, and some Bee-Line users in Westchester.
For older riders and reduced-fare users:
- Riders must go to an MTA Customer Service Center to switch to a reduced-fare OMNY card. Senior Reduced-Fare MetroCards with photos can’t be transferred at mobile outreach vans.
- Unlike MetroCards, OMNY cards and readers do not show your remaining balance at the turnstile. You’ll need to check it online, in the app or at an OMNY vending machine.
- Anyone who relies on 30-day reduced-fare unlimited MetroCards should know that OMNY only offers 7-day fare capping, not 30-day unlimited options.
Key takeaways:
- Riders can use loaded MetroCards in 2026, as long as the card has not expired.
- Dec. 31 is the last day to buy or refill any MetroCard.
- Locations that sell or refill them are already limited and may be hard to access, and not all machines offer the same functions.
- If you purchase a new MetroCard, it will likely expire in August. You must load it with enough funds by Dec. 31.Once the balance runs out in 2026, you won’t be able to reload it.
Epicenter will keep reporting on the OMNY transition and how riders can navigate upcoming changes. If you’ve spotted a working MetroCard machine we didn’t, drop it in the comments or send us a note at hello@epicenter-nyc.com.
