FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 27, 2026
WHAT TO KNOW AS MARTA LAUNCHES NEW BETTER BREEZE
FARE PAYMENT SYSTEM
Five Week Customer Transition Period Begins
Saturday, March 28
ATLANTA – The
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) launches its better Breeze
fare payment system this Saturday, March 28, 2026, and customers will have
until May 2, 2026, to get familiar with the new system and switch to the
payment option that works best for them. During the five-week customer
transition period, riders will encounter old and new fare equipment,
construction work, and temporary entrances and exits.
“If you’ve ever done an
improvement project, you know it can be messy and inconvenient, but short-term
pain is often necessary for long-term gain,” said MARTA General Manager and CEO
Jonathan Hunt. “We are asking our valued customers to bear with us as installation
of the better Breeze system continues, pay attention to signs and announcements
to enter and exit rail stations, and use this transition period to get a new
Breeze card or plan to use tap to pay with your bank card or mobile wallet to
ride by May 2nd.”
From Saturday, March 28
to Saturday, May 2, 2026, both the old and new Breeze systems will be active. During this customer transition period, riders
can:
- Use
old Breeze cards and tickets at any existing old faregates and validators.
Old ticket vending machines will be turned off, and no fare may be added
to old cards. Note that old faregates will be left open to ensure access
to rail stations but customers should still tap if possible.
- Use
Breeze Mobile 2.0 at any existing old faregates and validators. Breeze
Mobile 2.0 is no longer available for download and fare cannot be added.
The new Breeze Mobile app will be available for download on Android and
iOS devices starting Saturday, March 28, 2026, and can be used to manage
your physical Breeze card and purchase fare.
- Purchase
new Breeze cards or tickets at new ticket vending machines.
- Purchase
new Breeze cards or tickets at Ride Stores for MARTA, ATL Xpress,
CobbLinc, Connect Douglas, and Ride Gwinnett.
- Purchase,
load, and manage new Breeze cards on the new www.breezecard.com. New Breeze cards are account based meaning fare
is stored in your account, not on the actual card.
- Tap
to pay using a bank card (all major credit and debit cards accepted) at
any new faregate or orange bus validator. Note that some new faregates
will remain open to ensure access to rail stations but customers should
tap if possible.
- Tap
to pay using a mobile wallet at any new faregate or orange bus validator.
You must have a bank card connected to your mobile wallet. Again, note
that some new faregates will remain open to ensure access to rail stations
but customers should still tap if possible.
- Pay
with cash on local bus routes (exact change required) or use cash to
purchase a new Breeze card or ticket at any Ride Store or new ticket
vending machine.
- Reduced
Fare and Mobility customers may use stored fare on their old cards at any
old faregates or validators. New cards will be available for purchase at
Reduced Fare offices and be mailed directly to customers. If you have a
new mailing address, call 404-848-5112 or email reducedfare@itsmarta.com.
For customers unable to
spend down old Breeze balances before switching to better Breeze, balance
transfers to a new, registered Breeze account will be accommodated May 5 – Oct.
30, 2026. Please note new start date of balance transfer window. Information on
how to transfer balances will be provided soon.
For more information
visit MARTA and view Get to Know Better Breeze or (Spanish)Get
to Know Better Breeze.
Attached: How to Pay
flyer, photos of new faregates and ticket vending machines at Lindbergh Center
Station, and new Breeze card.
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