MTA is a

mobile application A mobile application or app is a computer program or software application designed to run on a mobile device such as a phone, tablet, or watch. Mobile applications often stand in contrast to desktop applications which are designed to run on d ...

-based

passenger information display system A passenger information system, or passenger information display system, is an automated system for supplying users of public transport with information about the nature and the state of a public transport service through visual, voice or other m ...

developed by the

Metropolitan Transportation Authority The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is a New York state public benefit corporations, public benefit corporation in New York (state), New York State responsible for public transportation in the New York metropolitan area, New York Ci ...

(MTA) of

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, formerly known as MYmta until 2024. A

beta version The software release life cycle is the process of developing, testing, and distributing a software product (e.g., an operating system). It typically consists of several stages, such as pre-alpha, alpha, beta, and release candidate, before the fi ...

of the app was launched on July 2, 2018. While other applications exist which serve similar functions, the MTA app is an all-in-one source for data provided directly by the MTA.

Functionality

The MTA App is intended to combine MTA functionalities that are already available in separate apps such as Subway Time, Bus Time, and the

Long Island Rail Road The Long Island Rail Road , or LIRR, is a Rail transport, railroad in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, stretching from Manhattan to the eastern tip of Suffolk County, New York, Suffolk County on Long Islan ...

(LIRR) and

Metro-North Railroad The Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company , also branded as MTA Metro-North Railroad and commonly called simply Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a New York State publ ...

Train Time applications into one all-encompassing application. The app also includes trip planning and paratransit functionalities, and will eventually include fare payment options as well.

Live information

Similar to the MTA's Subway Time app, MYmta includes live subway arrival times. Furthermore, the app also includes live bus arrival times and map tracking with functionality similar to that found in the MTA Bus Time app, in addition to

and

tracking similar to that seen in the MTA TrainTime app. It also features modes of transporation not operated by the MTA, such as the

Staten Island Ferry The Staten Island Ferry is a fare-free passenger ferry route operated by the New York City Department of Transportation. The ferry's single route runs through New York Harbor between the Boroughs of New York City, New York City boroughs of Manh ...

PATH A path is a route for physical travel – see Trail. Path or PATH may also refer to: Physical paths of different types * Bicycle path * Bridle path, used by people on horseback * Course (navigation), the intended path of a vehicle * Desir ...

, JFK AirTrain, Newark AirTrain, and

NJ Transit New Jersey Transit Corporation, branded as NJ Transit or NJTransit and often shortened to NJT, is a state-owned public transportation system that serves the U.S. state of New Jersey and portions of the states of New York and Pennsylvania. I ...

services.

Trip planning

Unlike previous iterations of MTA trip planners, the version included within The MTA App also supports modes of transportation not operated by the MTA, such as the

NYC Ferry NYC Ferry is a public network of ferry routes in New York City operated by Hornblower Cruises. , there are six routes, as well as one seasonal route, connecting 25 ferry piers across all five boroughs. NYC Ferry has the largest passenger fleet ...

, and

services. The MTA App can also save users' favorite trips, stations, and stops, so information about them can be accessed quickly. The app also displays up-to-date information about delays and service changes so users can plan trips accordingly.

Paratransit and accessibility

The MTA App allows paratransit users to request services through

Access-A-Ride The physical accessibility of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)'s public transit network, serving the New York metropolitan area, is incomplete. Although all MTA Regional Bus Operations, buses are wheelchair-accessible in complian ...

, the MTA's paratransit offering. MTA App main page

In addition, the app reports statuses and outages of elevators and escalators in accessible stations, extending the functionality also performed by the similarly named My MTA Alerts service into application form.

Fare payment

As of 2025, the app itself does not support any direct fare payment systems. However, it does link to the MTA TrainTime App where the user can purchase and activates tickets, though the MTA has announced plans to combine eTix functionality into the MTA app. In the future, the MTA also intends to add bus and subway fare payment options to the application as part of its new

OMNY OMNY ( , short for One Metro New York) is a contactless payment, contactless fare payment system, currently being implemented for use on transportation in New York City, public transit in the New York metropolitan area. OMNY can currently be u ...

fare payment system.

History

The MTA began testing the MTA App in April 2018 as MYmta, as a replacement for its existing suite of applications. The beta version of the app was released on July 2, 2018, and it was largely received positively. John Hatchett, an Access-A-Ride user, commented, "I've really felt like we've been listened to about not only what's not working but what we would like to see to make it work better." Transit journalist Jason Rabinowitz commented: "the fact that he MTAlaunched its new app with an outdated subway map is just so deliciously good that I may skip lunch today." However, the New York City Transit chief customer officer Sarah Meyer stated that this was because "updating the map would have jeopardized the launch date" of the app. In 2023, the MTA began making changes to revamp the MYmta app, by introducing the MTA App, its replacement. The new app has similar functionality as the MYmta app, but with additional features, such as favoriting bus stops and train stations, booking and tracking Access-A-Ride trips, an improved search function, and a visual map allowing the user to check nearby trains and buses to their location. It was initially supposed to be released late-2023 but it was pushed to March 25, 2024, when the new app was officially rolled out to the public.

References

External links

Official site
{{New York City Subway Bus transportation in New York City Products introduced in 2018 Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Subway fare payment MTA Regional Bus Operations 2018 establishments in New York City