The New York City Subway has reached a new post-pandemic milestone, with over 4.6 million riders recorded on consecutive days in early December, according to Governor Kathy Hochul. On December 3 and 4, the subway system saw 4.61 million and 4.63 million customers respectively, surpassing the previous record set in October and marking a six percent increase compared to the same period last year.
Governor Hochul highlighted ongoing efforts to improve transit safety and reliability, stating: “The subway is the lifeblood of New York City, and thanks to our investments in safety and reliability, ridership continues to come roaring back. We know our work is far from finished, and that’s why we’re investing in new subway cars, upgraded signals and tools like cameras and law enforcement to keep riders safe. The subway is already the best way to get around, and thanks to these investments, we are making it better than ever.”
Subway on-time performance also achieved a record for November at 84.4 percent—the highest for that month since the pandemic began. This follows strong performance earlier in the year; September reached an on-time rate of 85 percent—marking the best September in recent history—and August saw its highest level in a decade at 85.1 percent.
Increased service has been introduced on certain lines, such as the A and L trains, which has helped reduce wait times for more than 100,000 weekday passengers. Rush hour service will expand on the M line starting December 8.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber commented: “No secret: transit is the best way to get around New York. When our subways are safe, frequent and reliable, people will use them more and more. That’s what’s happened and the records are going to keep coming.”
NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow added: “Hitting 4.6 million subway riders as we achieve another on-time performance milestone shows once again that when you deliver safe and reliable service riders will take it. We’re determined to carry this momentum into 2026, as we continue to tout all the opportunities available to riders to seamlessly switch to tap and ride.”
MTA Chief Customer Officer Shanifah Rieara said: “New Yorkers have embraced tap and ride and we’re proud to see that as more and more people return to the city, they are choosing mass transit. As the end of MetroCard sales nears, we are focusing on reaching the remaining 6 percent to make the switch and unlock the benefits and convenience of tap and ride technology.”
To support customers transitioning from MetroCard payments, MTA launched an OMNY Card Giveaway in November at nine Customer Service Centers across various locations including major subway stations such as Fordham Rd B D, Myrtle Av J M Z, St. George (Staten Island Railway), Stillwell Av-Coney Island D F N Q, among others. The first 400 customers at each location can transfer their MetroCard balance onto a fee-waived OMNY card while supplies last.
Fourteen additional Customer Service Centers are scheduled to open by year-end across all boroughs except Staten Island; these centers will also offer promotional OMNY cards for early visitors transferring balances.
The final day for purchasing or reloading MetroCards is set for December 31, 2025; acceptance of MetroCards will end by mid-2026. Riders can pay fares directly using digital wallets or contactless bank cards without needing an OMNY card if preferred.
Currently there are about 2,700 retail locations selling OMNY cards—more than twice as many as those offering MetroCards—and nearly one thousand OMNY vending machines have been installed throughout all subway stations.
By phasing out MetroCards in favor of contactless payment systems like OMNY—which allows fare payment through physical cards or electronic devices—the MTA expects annual savings of at least $20 million related primarily to production costs for MetroCards along with expenses tied to vending machine maintenance and cash handling.
The move toward a single fare collection method may also allow for future customer promotions or fare discounts.