With our comprehensive TrainTime app, when you ride the Long Island Rail Road or Metro-North Railroad you can:
- Buy and activate your ticket
- Plan trips and see options between up to two origin and two destination stations
- View departure times and transfer details for your trip, including for trips using both LIRR and Metro-North
- Track your train in real time and watch it arrive with GPS data updated every few seconds
- View real-time seat availability and the layout of your train
- Chat live with a customer service representative
How to buy tickets with the TrainTime app
- Download the app before you travel. New users can log in with Apple, Google, or by text message. If you have been using an account created in the former MTA eTix app from before August 2022, use the same username and password to retrieve your existing tickets.
- Buy your ticket before you travel. You can do so by tapping the "Buy" button after planning your trip or via the "Tickets" tab, which is also where your tickets live.
- Just before boarding your train, go to the "Tickets" tab and activate your ticket. Once on board, a conductor will validate the ticket either visually or by scanning it.
Tickets bought on the app cost the same as those bought at a ticket machine, and are valid for the same amount of time. For example, an unused one-way ticket will expire after 60 days.
If you are traveling with multiple people, you can buy everyone's tickets on the same device. You will need to activate one ticket per person and show each one to the conductor. Note that a ticket cannot be deactivated once you have activated it.
If you lose your phone or get a new phone, you can transfer your tickets to your new phone. You can only transfer tickets between phones three times in 180 days. If you exceed this limit, please contact us by calling 511 (877-690-5114 outside New York State).
Types of tickets you can buy
All ticket types except UniTickets, Meadowlands tickets, group tickets, and MTA Away packages are available for purchase using the app.
Note that if you buy a round-trip or 10-trip ticket, it will appear in your Ticket Wallet as two or 10 one-way tickets, which can be used in either direction.
You can have your monthly ticket automatically delivered your TrainTime account every month by signing up for Mail&Ride on LIRR or Metro-North.
Payment options
The TrainTime app accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express cards, including pre-tax transit benefit cards. You can split a purchase between two cards.
You can also pay with Apple Pay on iOS or Google Pay on Android. Note that these digital wallets do not accept split payments.
On board the train
You are responsible for keeping your phone charged. If your phone does not work, you will be required to buy a ticket at the onboard fare. If you do not expect your battery to last for your entire trip, we recommend buying a paper ticket.
While on board the train, the conductor may ask to scan your ticket. All tickets on TrainTime are subject to scanning, just as all paper tickets are subject to inspection.
We ask crews to scan tickets based on a variety of factors. As a result, your ticket may be scanned while the ticket of the person next to you may not be. Do not change the time on your phone as it can trigger unnecessary scanning.
If your ticket cannot be accepted when scanned, please provide an alternate ticket or pay the on-board fare, retain all documentation, and contact us as soon as possible. We will investigate your claim and if your mobile ticket was valid, we will reimburse you. Thank you for your cooperation.
Taking or sharing screenshots or videos of activated tickets is strictly prohibited. Customers attempting to present shared tickets of any kind will be required by the conductor to buy a new ticket, including the on-board surcharge.
How to get a refund
Unactivated tickets can be canceled within two minutes of purchase to receive a full refund.
Once the two minutes have elapsed, you will receive a partial refund for the unused portion of the ticket. All refunds are subject to a $10 fee. A one-way ticket that has been activated is considered used and is non-refundable.
You can refund a non-activated, non-expired ticket by tapping on the “Actions” button displayed on the ticket, then selecting the "Refund Ticket" option. If you do this for multiple tickets that were purchased at the same time, the refund fee will only be charged once. Money will be returned to the credit/debit card used to purchase the ticket and a receipt will automatically be sent to the email address associated with your account.
To refund multiple tickets that were purchased separately, or to refund an expired ticket, you will need to contact our Refund Department. See our refund policy for more details.
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