With MetroCard sales and refills set to end after Dec. 31, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced Dec. 4 the launch of the reloadable TAPP card, a new physical fare option for PATH riders, including those who prefer or need to pay with cash. The agency is also introducing more user-friendly vending machines to make purchasing and reloading simpler.
The new TAPP card and vending machines represent a milestone in the modernization of fare payments for the 117-year-old PATH system, which is part of the bistate agency’s massive revamp of bridges, tunnels, rail and port facilities.
TAPP cards are available in all stations and for online purchase starting Dec. 4. The new vending machines will initially be available at the Journal Square and 33rd Street stations beginning Dec. 4, with plans for wider expansion in the coming weeks as more vending machines complete the agency’s testing process for customer use.
The TAPP fare gates have allowed riders to pay with credit or debit cards by tapping the fare gate readers since their inception and that capability will continue.
In the interim, existing SmartLink Card dispensing machines have been retrofitted to dispense TAPP cards at all PATH stations starting Dec. 4 as the new machines come on line gradually.
“Our focus is always on making the rider experience as simple and reliable as possible,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “As MetroCard is phased out, we want PATH riders to know they will still have a simple, reliable way to pay with a physical card, including options for riders who prefer cash.”
Riders have been able to TAPP their way into the PATH system since December 2023, when the Port Authority introduced readers that accepted payment from contactless credit/debit cards or digital wallets. Those readers now also accept the system’s new TAPP cards.
PATH riders who use MetroCard, especially riders who prefer to pay with cash, can switch to the TAPP card to continue paying fares with a physical card. TAPP cards can be purchased and reloaded from the new vending machines at PATH stations, as well as online at www.TAPPandRide.com and by phone at 800-234-PATH (7284).
The new vending machines feature large touchscreens, intuitive menus and multilingual options, including English, Spanish, Chinese and Arabic. Riders will be able to buy and reload TAPP cards at one machine, which will be an improvement over the SmartLink machines where the purchase of a SmartLink card and reload of funds can be completed on two separate machines.
TAPP card data is stored in the cloud rather than on the physical card, enabling faster processing and more flexibility. Riders who reload funds online will see their balance update almost instantly instead of waiting up to 48 hours for synchronization.
TAPP cards can be loaded with any monetary value, rather than SmartLink’s fixed trip increments. Riders can buy discounted 10-, 20-, and 40-trip packages at vending machines, online, or by phone.
In the coming months, PATH will migrate one-day, seven-day and 30-day unlimited passes, as well as senior and disabled fare Smartlink card customers, to the TAPP platform. Those fare options will remain available through SmartLink or through TAPP open payments throughout the transition period.
MetroCards purchased before Jan. 1, 2026, will also eventually be phased out at a later date. Existing MetroCard balances will continue to be accepted until that date is set.
New TAPP cards will be available with a $5 purchase fee, but riders who register their card online at www.TAPPandRide.com will receive a $5 travel credit on PATH. Online registration also unlocks features such as auto-reloads and balance protection if a card is lost or stolen.
