MARTA new fare payment system begins

ATLANTA — Saturday marked big changes for MARTA riders. The company’s new ‘better Breeze’ system went live, meaning fares were collected at locations where faregates were previously open during the transition.

Despite Saturday being the day the new payment system was fully implemented, most MARTA stations still do not have the new faregates, so the ride is free because there is no way for riders to pay.

Stations that do have the new faregates, though, are now requiring payment, which means using the new Orange Breeze card, tapping your credit card or mobile wallet directly, or, depending on your phone, you can get a virtual Breeze card.

Colinth Brown rides MARTA regularly.

“I was excited because I do everything on my phone,” said Brown. “I don’t like to carry cards around. I have my ID on my phone because, you know, now in Georgia, you can put your ID on your phone, so why not have MARTA be a tap to pay?”

Vine City is one of about a dozen of MARTA’s 38 train stations that have the new fare gates and began requiring payment on Saturday. 

Several Atlanta United fans made sure to buy their new cards before the game began to avoid a potential long line of people waiting to get them on the way home.

“I was actually checking out the app before the game, but then when I got here then it was easier because they said just buy ’em when you got to the game,” said rider Nadeem Khalfay.

A MARTA spokesperson said 47% of stations have the new ticket machines, and 32% have at least one entrance with new fare gates.

11Alive asked MARTA when riders can expect the new faregates to be system-wide. A spokesperson said construction and installation are ongoing, and more ticket machines and faregates will open in the days and weeks ahead.

Click here for more information about how to pay under the new, Better Breeze system.