Riders utilizing the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) transit system will now be able to use the commuter rail’s new tap-to-pay fare payment system, following the activation of new Total Access PATH Payment (TAPP) readers at the PATH Newport station. TAPP is now available at nine stops across the system at select turnstiles, including the World Trade Center and 33 St. terminals. More than 100 gates have now been equipped with TAPP readers.
“We are thrilled to offer our TAPP contactless fare payment technology at our New Jersey stations, which serve the vast majority of PATH riders who will enjoy the benefit and ease of tapping in and getting on with their day,” said PANYNJ Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “As more PATH stations come online with TAPP throughout this year, the distance between New York and New Jersey will soon shrink from a river to just a tap away.”
PATH launched the TAPP fare payment system in December 2023 with new tap-to-pay readers at the Journal Square and 33 St. stations. The modern contactless system allows riders to use contactless debit/credit cards or digital wallets on smartphones at TAPP-enabled turnstiles. The open-loop system eliminates the need to purchase a specific PATH-issued fare card such as SmartLink or pay-per-ride MetroCards. During the phase-in process and for a period of time thereafter, PANYNJ says turnstiles supporting both SmartLink and MetroCard will remain operational as more customers become familiar with the new TAPP system. All existing SmartLink fare discounts will be available on TAPP when TAPP is fully implemented throughout the PATH system.
In addition to the World Trade Center and 33 St. stations, the seven New Jersey PATH stations with TAPP turnstiles serve more than 90 percent of PATH’s total ridership. With the activation of four new TAPP-enabled readers, PANYNJ notes nearly 30 percent of PATH’s 337 turnstiles systemwide now accept TAPP as fare payment. So far, more than 2 million riders have TAPPed into the system.
“As more riders return to the PATH system after the pandemic, we want them to come back to a commuter rail that reflects 21st century standards of travel and customer service,” said PANYNJ Executive Director Rick Cotton. “Now any contactless credit or debit card or a smartphone with a digital wallet can be your ticket to the train, without needing to top up a SmartLink or MetroCard.”
More TAPP-enabled turnstiles are being installed gradually throughout the system. Earlier this April, PATH added TAPP readers to turnstiles at the Grove Street and Exchange Pl stations. TAPP will launch at the remaining New York stations – Christopher Street, 9 St., 14 St. and 23 St. – by the end of the summer.
PANYNJ says the rollout of TAPP comes as the PATH system welcomes back more riders after the pandemic. In 2023, the system served 50.5 million passengers, the highest ridership since pre-pandemic 2019 and a 19 percent increase over 2022’s total passenger volume. Currently, PATH serves about 65 percent of its pre-pandemic ridership on weekdays and about 90 percent on the weekends.
