Frequently Asked Questions

The PATH SmartLink Card is a durable, plastic card with an embedded computer chip that keeps track of the number of your available prepaid trips, as well as the number of days remaining on an Unlimited Pass. Trips and passes may be added to the Card at a PATH vending machine in any PATH station or online through a PATH SmartLink Card Web Account. At PATH vending machines, you may purchase trips and/or an Unlimited Pass with a debit/ATM or credit card in addition to cash; only credit cards or credit/debit cards can be used to make purchases online. Since your SmartLink Card is intended for long-term use, it will not expire. Easy to use, convenient, and secure - the PATH SmartLink Card is the smart way to go!

Web Services - Provides automatic replenishment, one time replenishment and array of other time saving account management features.

Lowest Fares - It provides you with the best discounts available per trip.

Convenience - The SmartLink Card is easy to use and easy to reload. There is no need to insert or swipe at a PATH turnstile or vending machine, the card never leaves your hand and gets you to your destination faster.

Security - With registration, a free and optional service for your SmartLink Card, your unused trips and/or days remaining on your Unlimited Pass will be replaced if your Card is ever lost, stolen, or damaged. (See SmartLink Program Terms and Conditions for complete details and information.)

Durability - The SmartLink Card is a refillable, plastic fare card designed for long-term use.

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.

Purchase one online at www.SmartLinkCard.com

The SmartLink 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 PATH to offer a variety of convenient and beneficial services to SmartLink 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 a smart card.

SmartLink holds a maximum of six products, with no more than three different types of products and 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.

SmartLink prioritizes Unlimited Passes over Trips. Trips on SmartLink will not be used until all Unlimited Pass products have been used.

No. The electronics within the card are not susceptible to this type of damage.

If you choose to use our free registration service for your SmartLink Card and your card is lost, stolen or damaged you are eligible for the replacement of the trips/days remaining on the card at the time of notification to the SmartLink Service Center. You may notify the SmartLink Service Center by using the replacement card feature on the Web site or by calling the SmartLink Service Center at 1-800-234-PATH/7284 and select option 1 for SmartLink. The SmartLink Center is open Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., please leave a message after hours. . Additionally, a $5.00 card replacement fee will be charged. See SmartLink Program Terms and Conditions for more information.

Select the "Register Card" option from the left-side menu of the PATH SmartLink Web site homepage and complete the registration process online.

If you create a PATH SmartLink Card Web Account, any cards added or linked to the account must be registered. Your account will prompt you to register your card(s), or confirm registration, when adding/linking card(s) to your account.

Registered SmartLink cardholders should call PATH immediately at 1-800-234-PATH/7284 and follow the prompts for the PATH SmartLink Card. PATH will explain the process of obtaining a new card and receiving the unused trips and/or days remaining from an Unlimited Pass (as recorded in our system at the time you notify us your card is lost, stolen, or damaged) stored on your original card. Please Note: A five-dollar ($5.00) fee will apply to all replacement SmartLink Cards.

Participants should then update their WageWorks account to ensure future elections load to the correct card.

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.

Unlimited passes are available on the web in 30-day denomination and at the PATH vending machines in 1, 7, and 30-day denominations. Unlimited passes are non transferable but can be used to ride the PATH system as much as desired during the time period the pass is valid. However, they can only be used once at the same PATH station within an 18-minute period. If you have both an Unlimited Pass and trips on your SmartLink Card, your Unlimited Pass will be used first; if the same card is tapped again at any turnstile in the same PATH station within 18 minutes, your pass cannot be used and a trip will be deducted instead.

The day the Unlimited Pass is first used to enter a PATH turnstile counts as the first day of use, or day #1. If you have a 1-day pass, you can anticipate that the pass will expire the next time it is - 12:00 AM, or midnight, after it is first used - not necessarily 24 hours from the pass' first use. Please keep this in mind when purchasing a 1-day Unlimited Pass.

The expiration date on any given pass indicates it will expire at the end of the day noted. For example, if your card has an Unlimited Pass with an expiration date of 08/04 or 08/04/08, it expires at the end of the day on August 4th.

Yes, you can load your SmartLink card with your WageWorks Commuter Card.
Commuter Benefits Credit/Debit cards can be used on the SmartLink website to:

• Purchase SmartLink Cards
• Add trips/passes through One-Time Replenishment service

Commuter Benefits Credit/Debit cards cannot be used to set up Automatic Replenishment for SmartLink Cards.
Commuter Benefits Credit/Debit cards may also be used at the PATH vending machines to add trips/Passes to your SmartLink Card. If you do not have a SmartLink Card, you can purchase a SmartLink Card, without any trips ($5 cash), at the designated SmartLink Card dispensing machines at the following stations: Newark, World Trade Center, Journal Square , Exchange Place, Newport, Hoboken, and 33rd Street. After obtaining a SmartLink Card, you can proceed to any vending machine to add trips/passes to your SmartLink Card using your Commuter Benefits Credit/Debit cards.