Editing MetroCard (section)

===Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard===
The Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard costs $1, and can be filled with an initial value in any increment between $5.80 and $80, though vending machines only sell values in multiples of 5 cents. Cards can be refilled in 1-cent increments at station booths (formerly called token booths), and in 5-cent increments at vending machines. A MetroCard holder can spend up to $80 in one transaction and up to a total value of $100. Pay-Per-Ride MetroCards can also be filled with unlimited ride time in 7- or 30-day increments.<ref name="mta.info"/> As of 2022, station booths no longer do any MetroCard transactions.

The Pay-Per Ride MetroCard is accepted on the New York City Subway; MTA express, local, limited, and [[Select Bus Service|Select]] Bus Service buses; and the Staten Island Railway. Outside agencies also accept the MetroCard, including [[Nassau Inter-County Express]]; the [[PATH (rail system)|PATH]], operated by the [[Port Authority of New York and New Jersey]]; the [[AirTrain JFK]], operated by the Port Authority; the [[Roosevelt Island Tramway]]; and the Westchester County [[Bee-Line Bus System]].<ref name="mta.info"/> However, PATH does not accept reduced-fare MetroCard.<ref name="PATHfares"/>

Pay-Per-Ride MetroCards deduct different values depending on which service is used. Subway, Staten Island Railway, Roosevelt Island Tramway, or local/limited/Select bus uses, cost $2.90 per trip and usually allow one valid transfer, though two transfers may be allowed depending on which routes are being used (see below). Although the PATH charges $2.75 as well, it does not offer any free transfers. A ride on an MTA express bus costs $7.00, with transfers allowed to or from the subway, Staten Island Railway, or non-express MTA buses. The BxM4C Bee-Line Bus deducts $7.50 per trip, and no free or discounted transfers are allowed to or from that route. The AirTrain JFK costs $8.50 per trip if the passenger enters or leaves at [[Jamaica (LIRR station)|Jamaica]] or [[Howard Beach–JFK Airport (IND Rockaway Line)|Howard Beach–JFK Airport]] stations.<ref name="mta.info"/>

Transfers are available within two hours of initial entry, with the following structure:
* One free transfer from
** subway to local bus
** bus to subway
** bus to local bus
** express bus to express bus
** bus or subway to Staten Island Railway
** subway to subway between the Lexington Avenue–59th Street ({{NYCS trains|Lexington-59th|time=box}}) stations and the Lexington Avenue–63rd Street ({{NYCS trains|63rd Lexington header|time=box}}) station or between Junius Street ({{NYCS trains|New Lots header|time=box}}) station and Livonia Avenue ({{NYCS trains|Canarsie|time=box}}) station
* Two consecutive free transfers are available with the MetroCard for certain transfers. The transfers must be made within two hours of each other (e.g. when one makes the first transfer, they have two hours to make the second transfer).
** Between [[List of bus routes in Staten Island|Staten Island bus routes]] crossing the [[Staten Island Railway]], through St. George Ferry Terminal, and then any MTA local bus or NYC subway service below Fulton Street in Lower Manhattan.<ref name="SIR fare">[http://web.mta.info/nyct/sir/sirfare.htm "MTA Staten Island Railway Fare and Transfer Information"], MTA.info</ref>
** Between certain bus routes as specified in {{section link|MetroCard|Designated multiple-transfer corridors}}
* $4.10 for each local bus or subway to express bus transfer.
* Transfers with coins (pennies and half-dollar coins not accepted) are good for use on one connecting local bus route (restrictions apply).<ref name="MTAtransfers">[http://web.mta.info/nyct/bus/howto_bus.htm "How to Ride the Bus", under 'Making Connections'], MTA.info</ref>
* Customers transferring to suburban buses from another system with a lower base fare must pay the difference between the fare on the first bus and the fare on the second bus.
* No transfers to the BxM4C.<ref name="BXM4C">[http://transportation.westchestergov.com/images/stories/Schedules/Rte_BxM4C_TT_Spr13.pdf BxM4C schedule notes (page 2)] {{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
* No free transfer between PATH and NYC Subway, Bus and MTA Bus.<ref name="PATHfares">{{cite web|url=http://www.panynj.gov/path/fares.html|title=Path fares}}</ref>
* Up to 4 people can ride together on a single Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard, with one free transfer granted.

Expired card balance may be transferred to a new card at any MetroCard Vending Machine, up to one year after expiration. After one year the card must be sent to the Customer Claims area of the MTA.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://web.mta.info/metrocard/problems.htm#expired |title=Has your MetroCard expired? |access-date=May 21, 2011}}</ref>