MTA eTix®

How Do I Use MTA eTix?

• Download the free MTA eTix mobile ticketing app from the Apple Store or Google Play and set up an account in advance of travel.
• Purchase MTA eTix mobile tickets in advance, activate tickets just before boarding, and have your mobile device ready for ticket validation after boarding.
• Self-service functions provide additional conveniences — including refunds, receipts, account updates, and more.
• For info on Metro-North Train Time app, click here
• For info on Long Island Rail Road Train Time app, click here

View a tutorial on how to use MTA eTix.

View the MTA's Internet Privacy Policy.

MTA eTix Questions

Download as a PDF file.

• What is MTA eTix^®?

  MTA eTix is a mobile ticketing App that allows Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road customers to purchase and use tickets directly from mobile devices.

• How do I access MTA eTix?

  The MTA eTix App is free to download. Search 'MTA eTix' in the Apple Store or on Google Play. At this time, the App cannot be accessed through Apple Passbook due to the App having several advanced features that are currently not supported in Apple's Wallet.

• Are there any fees for using mobile ticketing?

  The MTA eTix App is free to download. Tickets purchased using the App cost the same as those purchased at a Ticket Machine (there are no additional fees). When using the application, please be aware that carrier charges may apply for data usage. Neither LIRR nor Metro-North is responsible for any mobile carrier data charges that a customer incurs through purchasing a mobile ticket or downloading the MTA eTix App.

• What devices support MTA eTix?

  iPhone and Android devices are both supported by MTA eTix. For iPhone users, your operating system needs to be iOS 9 or higher. For Android users, your operating system needs to be 4.4 or higher. (Note for Android users: some Android devices on 4.4 are not compatible and we recommend 5.1 or higher. Additionally, some Android users may be prompted to reinstall the app when restarting their phones; if this occurs, we recommend moving the app to your device storage to resolve the issue. On most Android devices, this can be done by:

  1. Tap on Settings
  2. Then General
  3. Then Apps
  4. Select eTix
  5. Select Storage/Memory
  6. Tap Change (or Move to) -> Internal Storage/Phone
  7. Restart phone – the eTix application should appear in the application list.

  If you need additional assistance please Contact the Customer Service Center at 511 (customers outside New York State can call 877-690-5114). Rooted devices are not supported.

• What if I have tickets on my phone but lose MTA eTix because my iPhone4 or an older version of iOS is no longer supported?

  To continue to use the eTix app, customers must update to version 4.19.16 or higher.  If you have any issues, contact the Customer Service Center at 511 (customers outside New York State can call (877-690-5114) to obtain access to your previously purchased tickets.

• What if I change the time on my phone? Will my ticket(s) still work?

  Customers should not change the time on their phones as doing this will automatically change the status of their ticket(s) to used or expired.

• What types of tickets can I purchase with mobile ticketing?

  One-Way, Round-Trip, Ten-Trip, Weekly and Monthly tickets, along with CityTickets, are available for purchase via the app. Additionally, Reduced-Fare tickets, Child and Family Fare tickets, Military tickets, Yankee Stadium Ride Extension tickets and Belmont Stakes tickets are available for purchase. Group Sales, Meadowlands tickets, Atlantic Ticket, and Getaway packages are not available for purchase using the app.

• How do I purchase a mobile ticket?

  After downloading the MTA eTix app, you will need to create an account using your email address. Once you’re logged into your account, select the ticket you wish to buy, enter your credit/debit card payment information, and confirm the transaction. You can use more than one card to complete your purchase. The purchased ticket(s) will be electronically delivered to your phone’s ticket wallet (see more on Ticket Wallet below) and a receipt for your purchase will automatically be sent to your email address. Please note that screenshots or videos of MTA eTix tickets are strictly prohibited. Additionally, the exchange or sharing of MTA eTix tickets via AirDrop or any other means is also strictly prohibited.

  Customers attempting to present shared tickets of any kind will be required by the conductor to purchase a new ticket at the onboard rate.

• Can I purchase my monthly ticket in advance?

  Yes. Monthly tickets are available for purchase beginning on the 25th of the preceding month. For example, you can purchase a December monthly ticket as early as November 25th. Please note, however, that you will not be able to use that ticket until December 1st. The last day to purchase a monthly ticket for the current month is the 11th, and it will only be valid for the remainder of that month.

• Can I purchase my weekly ticket in advance?

  Yes. Weekly tickets are available for advance purchase. Weekly tickets are valid for a set time-frame (Saturday–Friday) and you can begin purchasing weekly tickets as early as the Wednesday before the Saturday that they will become valid. Please note: you cannot buy weekly tickets more than one week in advance, and any portion of the weekly ticket not used within the validity period will appear as EXPIRED and will not be accepted for travel.

• Why do I keep getting logged out of the app?

  Android users that save the app on an SD Card may experience storage issues that result in being automatically logged out of the app. If this occurs, we recommend moving the app to your device storage to resolve the issue. On most Android devices, this can be done by:

  1. Tap on Settings
  2. Then General
  3. Then Apps
  4. Select eTix
  5. Select Storage/Memory
  6. Tap Change (or Move to) -> Internal Storage/Phone
  7. Restart phone – the eTix application should appear in the application list.

  If you need additional assistance please contact the Customer Service Center at 511 (customers outside New York State can call 877-690-5114).

• What types of payment options are available for purchasing a mobile ticket?

  You can purchase a mobile ticket using your credit or debit card. The MTA eTix app currently accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express cards. For your convenience, you can split the payment of your ticket between two different cards. MTA eTix also accepts additional payment options through digital wallets such as Apple Pay (as of April 2020, Master Pass by MasterCard is no longer available). Please note that digital wallets do not accept transit benefit cards or split payments.

• Why do I need to re-enter my credit card security code every time I purchase a ticket?

  This is a layer of added security to protect your payment information by verifying that you are the card holder.

• Are receipts available for my mobile ticketing purchase?

  Yes. Once you purchase your mobile ticket a receipt will automatically be sent to the email address associated with your account.

• If I purchase my tickets through a pre-tax employer benefits program, can I use mobile ticketing?

  Yes, you can purchase a ticket through a pre-tax program. If the cost of the ticket exceeds the amount in the program you may purchase the remainder of the ticket using an additional credit/debit card.

• Can I use the mobile app to purchase my Mail&Ride ticket?

  Mail&Ride customers can now have their monthly ticket delivered directly to their phones. You must download the eTix app and register for an account using your email address (see downloading instructions above). You must also log into to your current Mail&Ride account and change your ticket delivery option to “eTix”. Every month your railroad ticket will be automatically be delivered to your device and stored in your Ticket Wallet (see more on Ticket Wallet below). By signing up for automatic ticket delivery, you will be able to perform a self-refund for unused or partially used Mail&Ride tickets. Please note, current monthly Mail&Ride ticket refund policy applies. Mail&Ride ticket refunds will be handled by the Mail&Ride customer service team. If you need help with a refund, please call Customer Service at 511. Customers outside New York State can call 877-690-5114. You can switch back to the paper Mail&Ride ticket delivery at any time (see below for how to switch back to paper tickets).

  *This service is currently unavailable to customers whose journey includes a connecting service such as subway, bus or ferry.

• Will my mobile ticket work on NYC Transit or any other system?

  Mobile ticketing will NOT allow for transfers to NYC Transit (Subway/Bus), UniTicket, NICE bus (Nassau County) or any other transit system. If your trip requires you to transfer to another transit system and you need a combined ticket, please continue to purchase a paper ticket.

• Can I retrieve train schedules/fares using Train Time^™ via the MTA eTix app?

  Yes. When you pick your station combination and make a purchase, you can use the “Train Time” option and your choice of station combination will automatically be forwarded to the “Train Time” app for instant access. Train Time can also be accessed from the home screen of the MTA eTix app. If you currently do not have the Train Time app, you will be directed to the App Store or Google Play to download it.

• Can I access the MYmta app via the MTA eTix app?

  Yes. The MYmta app can be accessed from the home screen of the MTA eTix app. If you currently do not have the MYmta app, you will be directed to the App Store or Google Play to download it.

• If I am traveling with friends and family, can I use more than one ticket on my phone?

  Yes, you can use your account to purchase tickets for others in your party. You will need to show all tickets on your phone to the conductor—swipe multiple activated tickets on your screen to show the conductor.

• How do I use my mobile ticket?

  You MUST activate your ticket just before boarding your train. To activate your ticket simply go to your Ticket Wallet, (see more on Ticket Wallet below), choose the applicable ticket, and click on the “Activate Ticket” button. Your Ticket Wallet is the place where all of your purchased tickets are stored. It can be found on the home screen of the mobile app. Tickets remain active for the duration of your trip. Please have your mobile tickets ready and simply show the activated ticket screen with changing colors to the conductor for validation.

• Why do I need to activate my ticket?

  Tickets must be activated in order to show a valid ticket on-board the train – this will complete the transaction and allows conductors to confirm tickets are valid.

• Do I need to activate my monthly or weekly ticket each time I travel?

  Monthly or weekly customers do NOT need to re-activate their ticket each time it is used. Once initially activated, monthly and weekly tickets will remain in an active status for the duration of the ticket.

• My ticket was erroneously activated, can I deactivate it?

  No, tickets cannot be deactivated.

• Do mobile tickets expire?

  Yes. Mobile ticket validity periods are the same as paper tickets. For example, a One-Way ticket will be valid for 60 days or until used, and a weekly ticket will be valid from Saturday through Friday. In general, all other terms & conditions for paper tickets apply to mobile tickets as well. Any exceptions are noted. Mobile tickets that are not used within their validity period will appear as EXPIRED and will not be accepted for travel.

• How can I see how many tickets I have remaining on my device?

  Purchased tickets and the number of tickets remaining are stored in your Ticket Wallet. Tickets are sorted by expiration date. Only one ticket will be displayed on your home screen.

• Where can I see my used, refunded, or expired tickets?

  All of these tickets can be found in your Ticket Wallet under the History tab.

• Can I cancel a ticket I did not use?

  Non-activated tickets can be cancelled within 2 minutes of purchase to receive a full refund. Non-activated tickets cancelled after 2 minutes of purchase will receive a partial refund for the portion of the unused ticket (One-Way, Round-Trips, Ten-Trips, Weeklies, and Monthlies) and will be subject to a $10 refund fee. Please be aware that once you activate a One-Way ticket you will not be able to receive a refund.

• How do I refund a ticket I did not use?

  You can initiate a refund of non-activated (and non-expired) mobile tickets by clicking on the “Actions” button displayed on the ticket, and then selecting the "Refund Ticket" option. A $10 refund fee may apply (see above). A receipt for your refund will automatically be sent to the email address associated with your account and the funds will be returned to the credit/debit card used to purchase the ticket. If you need help with a refund please call Customer Service at 511. Customers outside New York State can call 877-690-5114.

• How do conductors validate my mobile ticket?

  There are two methods of validating mobile tickets: visually and electronically. If the ticket is being validated visually, you will need to show the screen with dynamic colors (please ensure that your device is sufficiently charged to avoid low-power mode – train personnel cannot accept tickets that display in grayscale or in any manner other than the recognized format). For electronic validation, you will need to show the bar-coded screen. Please always have your phones ready to display your mobile ticket(s) for validation..

• What information about my device is collected when my ticket is scanned and what do you do with that information?

  When a ticket is scanned, we only collect information about the ticket itself. No data is collected about the device or the user. The data from the scan is subject to the protocols set forth in the MTA Internet policy which can be found here: https://new.mta.info/privacy-policy.

• What if the conductor comes around while I'm sleeping and needs to validate my mobile ticket?

  If you prefer to sleep while travelling on the train, you need to be aware that you are required to display your mobile ticket to the conductor for validation.

• What happens if my smartphone battery dies before I show the conductor my mobile ticket?

  You are responsible for keeping your smartphone charged while riding the train. If your smartphone is not working, you will be required to pay the higher on-board fare, so please plan accordingly. If your battery may not last the duration of your trip, we recommend you purchase a paper ticket before boarding.

• What happens if I lose my smartphone or buy a new smartphone?

  If you lose your phone or purchase a new phone the tickets stored in your Ticket Wallet on your old phone can be transferred to your new phone. You are limited to three transfers within a 180-day period. If you exceed the transfer limit or need help with your transfer, please call Customer Service at 511. Customers outside New York State can call 877-690-5114.

• What happens if I delete the App from my phone and reinstall it?

  If you delete and reinstall MTA eTix on an iOS device it will not count as a transfer to a new phone in the 180-day period. Please be aware that if you delete and reinstall MTA eTix on an Android device it will be considered a transfer to a new phone in the 180-day period. (See above). Tickets stored in the deleted app will be available in your Ticket Wallet upon reinstallation.

• If I lose connectivity while riding the train, will my mobile ticket still work?

  Mobile tickets do not need phone service to be displayed or activated. If you lose cell connectivity after boarding the train, you will still be able to display activated tickets. However, mobile tickets do need connectivity to be purchased. Therefore you must purchase your ticket before boarding a train.

• What if I am having technical problems with the mobile ticketing application?

  If you encounter any technical problems or errors, please call Customer Service at 511. Customers outside New York State dial 877-690-5114. If you are unable to display your ticket to the conductor for any reason, you will need to purchase a paper ticket at the on-board fare.

If you still have questions after reading these FAQs, please call Customer Service at 511. Customers outside New York State can call 877-690-5114.