FAQ
To view answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding the EASY Card or EASY Ticket, select your topic of interest from the general categories listed below.
More About the EASY Card and EASY Ticket
The EASY Card System
1) How does the EASY Card system work?
The EASY Card lets passengers pay their fares conveniently and easily without cash by tapping an EASY Card or EASY Ticket on electronic Metrorail fare gates and bus fareboxes that can read and deduct value from the card or ticket. Simply tap your EASY Card or EASY Ticket and go.
EASY Card and EASY Ticket vending machines are located at every Metrorail station. The EASY Card also can be purchased online, at select retail outlets, or at the Government Center Transit Service Center in downtown Miami.
2) What's the difference between an EASY Card and an EASY Ticket?
The EASY Card is a durable plastic card that lasts up to three years, while the EASY Ticket is a paper ticket that also is good for only 60 days. Both the EASY Card and the EASY Ticket can be loaded with more value, but the EASY Card is more flexible because it allows you to change the type of fare product you load onto the card (such as a monthly pass, a weekly pass or a stored-value pass), whereas the EASY Ticket cannot be changed from one type of pass to another once you have chosen a fare product on it.
3) What are the benefits of having an EASY Card?
- Convenience - Simple to use and reload. Just tap and go!
- Security - If your EASY Card is ever lost, stolen, or damaged, your card balance is protected when you register your card. See the EASY Card terms and conditions for more information.
- Durability - Unlike the EASY Ticket, which expires in 60 days, the EASY Card is a durable plastic card designed for long-term use which is good for three years.
4) How do I get an EASY Card?
- Creating an account online and buying your EASY Card.
- Going to a ticket vending machine at a Metrorail station.
- Visiting an EASY Card sales outlet.
- Visiting the Transit Service Center on the second level of the Government Center Metrorail station, Monday - Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., excluding holidays observed in the United States.
- Call the EASY Card Center at 786-469-5151. TTY users should call 305-468-5402, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding holidays observed in the United States.
5) How do I get an EASY Ticket?
You can obtain an EASY Ticket the same way as an EASY Card, by the methods outlined above, except that unlike the EASY Card, the EASY Ticket cannot be purchased online.
6) How do I pay for my EASY Card or EASY Ticket?
You can use a debit/ATM or credit card to purchase an EASY Card online, at ticket vending machines, sales outlets, or the Transit Service Center at the Government Center Metrorail station. You can use a debit/ATM or credit card to purchase an EASY Ticket at ticket vending machines, sales outlets, or the Transit Service Center at the Government Center Metrorail station.
You can also use cash, but only at ticket vending machines, sales outlets, or the Transit Service Center at the Government Center Metrorail station.
Please note that when paying with a credi card, there is a limit of three transactions or $306 per credit card per day.
Only EASY Cards can be registered online. When you register your card, your credit card information can be safely stored, allowing you to set up automatic replenishment so your EASY Card is never without value.
7) How can I add value to my EASY Card or EASY Ticket?
You can add value to your EASY Card or EASY Ticket online, at a ticket vending machine at any Metrorail station, at the Transit Service Center on the second level of the Government Center, or at any EASY Card sales outlet.
8) What can I do if my EASY Card is lost or stolen?
Register your EASY Card - at no extra charge - and protect the balance on your card against loss or theft.
For your peace of mind, as soon as you purchase an EASY Card and load it with a pass and/or stored value, register your EASY Card to protect the balance on your card.
If your card gets lost or stolen, call us, and we will cancel the card and transfer to a new card the balance that was available on your card at the time you contacted us. All you pay is a $2 replacement fee for your new EASY Card. So relax, we've got you protected!
NOTE: EASY Tickets are no eligible to be registered for balance protection.
Also, if you have a Golden Passport or Patriot Passport on an EASY Card, and it is lost or stole, there is a $10 fee to replace the lost or stolen Golden Passport or Patriot Passport. This fee can be waived if the original police report listing the Golden Passport or Patriot Passport is presented.
9) Will my EASY Card transactions, including my travel patterns, remain private?
Yes. Florida House Bill No.393, which went into effect July 1, 2010, protects all information regarding your EASY Card transactions and travel patterns from public records requests.
10) Why is there an initial $2 charge for the EASY Card?
The EASY Card is intended for long-term use and is made of durable plastic with electronic components, including a computer chip. These components enable it to be used without insertion or swiping and provide the means for Miami-Dade Transit to offer a variety of convenient and beneficial services to EASY Card holders. The fee helps offset the cost of the card and these services. It is a standard industry practice for transit agencies to charge a fee for such cards.
More About the EASY Card and EASY Ticket
1) Why did Miami-Dade Transit switch to a "smart card" fare-collection system?
Miami-Dade Transit's aging fare-collection system often experienced failures and needed to be updated. Aside from being more reliable, this new machines offer fare-collection technology that will allow MDT to better serve customers by:
- Improving reliability - The machines will have less breakdowns, and the new tap-and-go way of boarding trains and buses will make it easier for passengers to use transit.
- Capture lost revenue - Turnstile jumpers, the use of non-local currency, and other forms of fare evasion, cost MDT millions of dollars each year. The new fare-collection system that will have six-foot Metrorail entry gates, as well new Metrobus fare boxes, will greatly help eliminate fare evasion.
- Better use of resources - The new system will help to more accurately collect ridership information, which will help MDT evaluate where resources are best used. Ridership information also can be used to obtain state and federal funding for transit projects.