Vending

Your chance to own a MetroCard vending machine

Image courtesy New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority

August 7, 2026

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New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority is auctioning a limited number of retired MetroCard Vending Machines and MetroCard Express Machines, according to a press release. Introduced beginning in 1999, the machines became familiar fixtures in subway stations, allowing riders to buy or reload MetroCards before the transit system began moving toward newer fare technology.

Bidding opened Aug. 5 and will close Aug. 19 at 8 p.m. Successful bidders must pay in full on the day they are notified and arrange pickup within 10 calendar days. The machines are being sold as-is in nonoperational condition, with their electronic and payment-processing components removed.

Buyers must load and transport the machines without MTA assistance, with pickups available in Brooklyn or Queens. The full-size vending machines weigh about 1,050 pounds, while the card-only Express models weigh approximately 210 pounds. The MTA is also offering 15 people VIP access to a future memorabilia and collectibles pop-up shop through a separate promotional drawing.