PANYNJ launches TAPP reloadable fare card for cash-based PATH fare payments

As the sale and reloading of the MetroCard is set to end after Dec. 31, 2025, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) has launched a reloadable TAPP card, a physical fare option for PATH riders who prefer to pay with cash. The agency has also introduced new fare vending machines to aid in the purchasing and reloading of the cards across the system.
The agency says the new TAPP card and vending machines mark a milestone in the modernization of fare collection for the 117-year-old PATH system. TAPP cards can now be purchased at all stations and online. The new vending machines will be immediately available at the Journal Square and 33 Street stations, with plans for wider expansion in the coming weeks as more vending machines undergo testing by the agency for customer use.
“For more than a century, PATH has evolved alongside the region it serves, from paper tickets and tokens to magnetic cards and now tap-and-go technology,” said PANYNJ Board Chair Kevin O’Toole. “The introduction of TAPP cards continues that legacy of progress, bringing the 117-year-old system into a new era of convenience, flexibility and innovation.”
The TAPP fare gates have allowed riders to pay with credit or debit cards with just a tap at the fare gate readers since their inception. That capability will continue to be available to PATH riders alongside the new TAPP card offering.
While the change is being made system-wide, existing SmartLink Card machines have been retrofitted to dispense TAPP cards at all PATH stations as the new machines come online gradually. PATH passenger information agents have also undergone extensive training to assist passengers as the new system is rolled out.

“Our focus is always on making the rider experience as simple and reliable as possible,” said PANYNJ 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 had access to TAPP on the PATH system since December 2023, when PANYNJ introduced new readers that accepted payment from contactless credit/debit cards or digital wallets. Those readers now also accept the system’s new TAPP cards.

The TAPP card represents an entirely new system architecture compared to the legacy SmartLink card for the agency. TAPP card data is stored in the cloud rather than on the physical card, enabling faster processing and more flexibility for passengers from the agency. 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, and riders can purchase discounted 10-, 20-, and 40-trip packages at vending machines, online or by phone. In the coming months, PATH will migrate 1-day, 7-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 for purchase with a $5 fee, but passengers that register their card online will receive a $5 travel credit on PATH. Online registration also unlocks features such as auto-reloads and balance protection in the event of a lost or stolen card.

PATH riders have embraced contactless payments, with approximately 70% of the system’s 200,000 weekday riders now using a digital debit or credit card to tap into the system. Weekend utilization is near 80%.