For a long time, the only way to pay your fare on many Maryland public transit systems was cash. A few years ago, Maryland MTA introduced a new payment method called CharmCard. CharmCard is a reloadable, stored value payment card which allows you to prepay your fares, and then use an electronic pass on buses, subway, light rail, and more. At first, the only way to add value to these cards was to use a Ticket Vending Machine (TVM) at a major transit station or on a bus using cash.
Recently, however, Maryland MTA introduced a system to accept credit card payments online to reload CharmCards. This means now you can pay your fare with a debit or credit card before you ever leave your house, then just tap and go on your preferred transit method. The first thing you will need to do is obtain your CharmCard, which is sold at select retailers throughout Maryland and online at www.mtamaryland.com . Once you have your CharmCard, you will need to register it online at the same website. Now, you are ready to reload your card online.
Login to your account and click "Add Value or Passes." From here, you will be able to select any monthly or weekly MTA passes that you would like to buy. You can also choose to add a set dollar amount to your CharmCard instead of buying a pass. This is a good option if you are a casual user of the Maryland public transit system. From this page, you can also select whether or not you would like to automatically reload your CharmCard when it drops below a certain balance.
Once you have selected the appropriate transit fare options, you are ready to check out. The Maryland MTA accepts all major credit cards as payment on their website. Once you have made your payment, your stored value or pass product is ready to be loaded to your card. It is important to note that this loading process does not happen automatically--in order for your value to be loaded, you must tap your CharmCard on a bus or a metro faregate within 30 days. Once you tap your card, your online purchase will be automatically added and ready to use.
By following these simple steps, you can load your CharmCard with money or passes online, bypassing the lines at the ticket vending machines and allowing you to get on transit quicker and easier than ever before!
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