PATH

General Information

The Port Authority Trans-Hudson, commonly called PATH, is a rapid transit railroad serving Newark, Harrison, Hoboken, and Jersey City in metropolitan northern New Jersey, as well as lower and midtown Manhattan in New York City. The PATH is operated by, and named after, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. PATH trains run 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

SmartLink is a RFID-enabled credit card-sized smartcard that can be used as a fare payment method on the PATH transit system in Newark and Hudson County in New Jersey and Manhattan in New York City. It was designed to replace PATH's paper-based farecard, QuickCard, and there are plans to expand its usage throughout most transit agencies in the Tri-State area.  The SmartLink card has been available to the public since July 2, 2007. Although the MetroCard used in the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) can also be used on the PATH, the reverse is not true for SmartLink, as it cannot be used when riding in the MTA.

Participants must obtain and replace their own cards through PATH. Visit the SmartLink Card Dispensers at these PATH stations: Newark, World Trade Center, Journal Square, 33rd Street, Exchange Place, Pavonia/Newport, and Hoboken. Only cash is accepted as payment for the SmartLink Card at the SmartLink Card Dispensers.  Participants may also purchase them online at www.pathsmartlinkcard.com .

The SmartLink Card holds a maximum of six products, up to three different products with no more than two of any single product. As such, SmartLink can hold up to 140 trips: two 40-trip products, two 20-trip products, and two 10-trip products.

You may wish to register your SmartLink card in order to protect it from being lost or stolen.  More info is available in our FAQ section.

The 30-day Unlimited Pass is good for 30 days of unlimited trips, expiring on the 30th day of use. A 30-day pass is more cost effective than multiple trips products if you make more than 42 trips per month.  

You can load your SmartLink card with your WageWorks Commuter Card.  More info is available in our FAQ section.

Order Timeline 

The timeline of events is as follows:

1. Your WageWorks order is cutoff by your Employer cutoff date.
2. If you’ve selected the WageWorks Visa® Prepaid Commuter Card or a WageWorks MasterCard® Prepaid Commuter Card, your funds will load to your card by the 20th
3. Once your WageWorks Visa® Prepaid Commuter Card or a WageWorks MasterCard® Prepaid Commuter Card has loaded you can fund your SmartLink Card at any time.
4. If you’ve ordered Direct Load your order will be placed and funded to your card by no later than the last day of that month.
5. If your Direct Load order is rejected due to an incorrect serial number, your credit will be processed by no later than the last day of that month.

The WageWorks Commuter Prepaid MasterCard is issued by The Bancorp Bank, member FDIC, pursuant to license by MasterCard International Incorporated. Card can be used at qualified locations everywhere Debit MasterCard is accepted. Card cannot be used cash access or at ATMs.

The WageWorks Visa Prepaid Commuter Card is issued by The Bancorp Bank, member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. Card can be used at qualified locations wherever Visa debit cards are accepted. Card cannot be used at any ATM or for cash access.