NJ TRANSIT INTRODUCES NEW FARE CARD TECHNOLOGY AS PART OF ONGOING FARE MODERNIZATION PROGRAM
“FARE-PAY” Card Begins Roll-Out at Four Bus Park & Rides and Newark Light Rail
April 17, 2025
NEWARK, NJ – NJ TRANSIT is introducing a new fare card as an easy and fast way to pay fares. The card, called “FARE-PAY,” will begin its roll-out at four bus park & rides and on the Newark Light Rail system beginning April 19, when monthly passes go on sale. The four NJ TRANSIT bus park & rides are Willowbrook Mall (Wayne), Mothers (Wayne), Wayne Transit Center (Wayne) and Allwood Road (Clifton).
Beginning April 19, customers on Newark Light Rail and at the four park & rides purchasing monthly passes from Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) will receive the new fare cards. Then on May 1, customers at the four park & rides purchasing 10-trip bus tickets will also receive the new fare cards. Customers then simply tap their “FARE-PAY” cards at the onboard validator while boarding or at platform validating stations on Newark Light Rail. Additional locations, features and travel modes will be added as the program continues to expand across the system.
“NJ TRANSIT continues to evolve with the needs of our customers by providing fare payment options that are simple, flexible, and environmentally responsible,” said NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kris Kolluri. “The ‘FARE-PAY’ card reflects our broader goal of modernizing fare collection throughout our system, improving the overall travel experience for our customers.”
Bus customers at the initial four park & rides and the entire Newark Light Rail system will receive the new fare card from TVMs loaded with their monthly pass or bus 10-trip ticket.
Newark Light Rail customers who tap their “FARE-PAY” cards on platform validators will use that same “FARE-PAY” card to tap a fare inspector’s mobile validation device when requested by the fare inspector. The customer’s validation information will be provided.
The new “FARE-PAY fare cards, which are reusable, will provide customers the ability to manage their account online, view fare card activity and auto-reload products and value. Customers will hold onto their “FARE-PAY” cards and reload tickets or passes onto them. A credit/debit card is not required. As part of future phases of “FARE-PAY,” customers will be able to purchase and reload their cards at participating retail locations throughout the state. That feature is expected to be available at retail locations throughout New Jersey this summer.
Customers who use the mobile app to purchase tickets and passes can continue to do so and will not require a “FARE-PAY” card.
The goal of the “FARE-PAY” card is to reduce the use of paper tickets by using a more environmentally sustainable fare payment system, reducing the use of cash on board buses and speeding up the boarding process.
For additional information on the fare card, please visit: www.njtransit.com/farepay
About NJ TRANSIT
NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 925,000 weekday trips on 263 bus routes, three light rail lines, 12 commuter rail lines and through Access Link paratransit service. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 166 rail stations, 62 light rail stations and more than 19,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.