How to Buy a Metro Ticket Abroad: Card and App Guide

The short answer to how to buy a metro ticket abroad is this: in London and New York, tapping your contactless bank card is enough; in Paris, you use the Île-de-France Mobilités app or the station machine and a Navigo Easy card. The system varies from city to city. Learn the destination city's method before you go and confirm that your card works abroad.

In short

• Learn the city's method first: contactless card in London and New York, app or Navigo Easy in Paris.
• In London, every passenger aged 11 and over must have their own contactless card; if yours isn't accepted, there's the Visitor Oyster option.
• In New York, only tap in at entry; use the same card or device every time for the weekly cap.
• If your phone battery dies, you can't get through the turnstile; carry a physical card as backup.

The core rule: three basic methods

Major cities' metro systems today offer one or more of three methods: a contactless bank card or phone, the city's official app, and a card obtained from a station ticket office or machine. Paper tickets are increasingly being phased out; in many cities they're being replaced by rechargeable cards or direct bank card payment.

So the first step is learning which model the city you're visiting uses. Three examples give a good sense of this:

• London: Tap your contactless bank card; if your card isn't accepted, there's a Visitor Oyster card option.
• Paris: Buy a ticket through the official app, or top up a Navigo Easy card at a ticket office or machine.
• New York: Tap a contactless card, phone, or OMNY Card on the OMNY reader at the turnstile.

If your first journey from the airport to the city centre will be by metro, choose your method in advance so you don't deal with ticket hassles on arrival. If you'd rather avoid that with luggage and after a tiring arrival, airport transfer is a hassle-free option for the first day; you can switch to public transport from the next day onward.

London: contactless card and Visitor Oyster

In London, contactless bank card payment is accepted on the Tube, buses, trams, DLR, Overground, Elizabeth Line and most National Rail services within London. You don't need to buy a separate ticket; you tap the same card at entry and exit.

Group and family travel

Every passenger aged 11 and over must have their own contactless bank card. Don't try to get everyone through by sharing a single card; each passenger must tap their own card.

If your card isn't accepted

Some bank cards issued outside the UK may not be accepted. In this case, there's a Visitor Oyster card option, which can be purchased with home delivery before your trip. If you're travelling from Turkey, confirm with your bank that your card's contactless feature is active and that it allows use abroad.

Two practical notes: use the same card or the same phone every time; if you have two cards in your wallet, set aside the one you'll use so you don't tap the wrong one. Don't wait at a turnstile where your card isn't working; ask a staff member for help.

Paris: app, machine and Navigo Easy

In Paris and Île-de-France, tickets can be purchased through the Île-de-France Mobilités app (Android and iOS). If you want to use your phone, download the app before you leave and check that your payment method works.

Ticket office and machine

Metro-train-RER and bus-tram tickets bought at a station ticket office or machine are loaded onto a rechargeable Navigo Easy card. In other words, instead of a paper ticket, you get the card once, then load journeys onto it. Keep the card; you can reload it on future trips.

Which method suits whom?

• Those comfortable with phones: The app; tickets are bought without queuing.
• Those who'd rather not rely heavily on their phone: The machine or ticket office and a Navigo Easy card.
• Those staying multiple days: Keeping the card removes the hassle of buying a new ticket every time.

For current ticket types and coverage, check the options in the official app; details like which ticket covers the airport line may change.

New York: OMNY and the end of the MetroCard

On the New York subway, fares are paid by tapping a contactless credit/bank card, smartphone, wearable device or OMNY Card on the OMNY reader at the turnstile. There's no need to register or download an app.

Entry and exit

You tap your card at the turnstile when entering; you don't tap at exit. Trying to tap at exit is unnecessary.

If you want to get a card

An OMNY Card can be bought from the ticket machines in subway stations or from hundreds of retail locations. This option is suitable if you don't have a contactless card or don't want to use your foreign card.

Weekly cap

For metro and local bus journeys made with the same card or device, you pay no more than $35 within a 7-day period. For this cap to apply, you must use the same card or device for every journey; if you tap your phone one day and a card the next, the journeys won't be combined.

MetroCard

As of January 1, 2026, the MetroCard can no longer be purchased or refilled. Don't rely on advice from a friend who comes with an old MetroCard.

Common mistakes and exceptions

The biggest problems with metro tickets abroad usually arise not from the method itself but from lack of preparation.

• Not realizing your card isn't contactless: If your card doesn't have the contactless symbol, the easiest method in London and New York won't work. Check with your bank beforehand.
• Foreign use and limits: Make sure your card is enabled for use abroad. Fares are processed in small amounts; your bank may block the transaction for security reasons.
• Getting a group through with a single card: In London, every passenger aged 11 and over must have their own card.
• Mixing up cards: If you have more than one contactless card in your wallet, the wrong one may be read; payment and cap calculations get split.
• Tapping at exit: In New York, you don't tap at exit; in London, entry and exit tapping depends on the journey type, so follow local signage.
• Relying solely on your phone: If the battery dies, you can't get through the turnstile. Carry a physical card as backup.

For a general framework on using cards abroad, the cash-and-card balance logic in Does a credit card work in Egypt also applies to other countries.

Step by step: what to do before buying a ticket

1. Learn the city's method. Check the official transport authority's page for contactless payment, app and card options.
2. Check your card. Open your bank's app to confirm contactless capability, foreign-use permission and transaction notifications.
3. Prepare in advance if needed. In London, your card may not be accepted; you can order a Visitor Oyster with home delivery before your trip. For Paris, download the app.
4. Plan your first journey on arrival. Confirm from an official source which line runs from the airport to the centre, and whether it operates if you're arriving late at night. If you think it'll be a hassle, use airport transfer to separate your first journey from ticket concerns.
5. Stay calm at the turnstile. Hold the card or phone flat against the reader; don't pass through until you get the screen confirmation or the light and sound feedback.
6. Keep using the same method. Especially in New York, use the same card or device for the weekly cap to apply.
7. Keep receipts and the card. In case of an incorrect charge or double charge, the transaction record protects you.

Pre-departure checklist

Check off the following before you leave:

• I've learned the destination city's metro payment method from an official source.
• My bank card's contactless feature is active and allows use abroad.
• Every passenger has their own card; separate cards are ready for passengers aged 11 and over.
• If I'm going to Paris, the Île-de-France Mobilités app is installed on my phone.
• In London, I've considered the Visitor Oyster in case my card isn't accepted.
• In New York, I'm not relying on an old MetroCard; I have a card or phone ready for OMNY.
• My phone is charged, and I have a physical card as backup.
• I've planned my first journey from the airport to the centre.
• My bank's transaction notifications are on; I have the customer service number handy in case of issues with foreign transactions.

If your luggage is delayed during your trip, your public transport plan will also change; in such a case, knowing the steps in What to do for lost luggage will save time. Rules can be changed by city authorities; check the relevant transport authority's latest announcement once more before you depart.

Frequently asked questions

How do you buy a metro ticket abroad?

It varies by city. In London and New York, you tap a contactless bank card; in Paris, you use the app, a ticket office or machine, and a Navigo Easy card. Check the city's official transport page before you go.

Can you ride the London metro with a bank card?

Yes, in London you can pay with a contactless bank card on the Tube, buses, trams and many other services. Some cards issued outside the UK may not be accepted. In this case, there's a Visitor Oyster card option.

Can a whole family travel on one card?

No, not in London. Every passenger aged 11 and over must have their own contactless bank card. Check the relevant transport authority's rules for other cities.

Can a Paris metro ticket be bought through an app?

Yes. Tickets can be bought through the Île-de-France Mobilités app on Android and iOS devices. Tickets can also be bought at station ticket offices or machines, and these are loaded onto a Navigo Easy card.

Do you need to register for the New York subway?

No. It's enough to tap a contactless card, phone, wearable device or OMNY Card on the OMNY reader at the turnstile. There's no need to register or download an app; you don't tap at exit.

Is the MetroCard still used in New York?

As of January 1, 2026, the MetroCard can no longer be purchased or refilled. The current payment method is OMNY. If you don't have a card, you can get an OMNY Card from a station machine or retail locations.

Does the weekly cap apply if I pay with my phone?

In New York, for metro and local bus journeys made with the same card or device, you pay no more than $35 within a 7-day period. Use the same card or device every time for the cap to apply.

Sources

• Visitor Oyster card vs Contactless: which is best for your London trip? — support.visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk
• How do I choose and where do I buy my ticket? — iledefrance-mobilites.fr
• How to ride the NYC subway — mta.info
• Tap and ride to pay your fare — mta.info