New Yorkers react to the MTA’s futuristic-looking 'smart' fare gates to fight evasion

If your subway entrance suddenly felt more like airport security than a turnstile, that’s intentional.

The MTA has begun testing new “modern” fare gates at a handful of stations, including Atlantic Av-Barclays Center, Delancey St-Essex St and Flushing-Main St. The glass-paneled paddle doors slide open automatically when riders tap in using OMNY, a contactless card or a phone—and open on their own when exiting, no tap required.

The agency says the gates are designed to deter fare evasion and improve accessibility, with sensors meant to detect tailgating, strollers and children traveling with adults. They’re part of a broader testing phase that could eventually lead to similar gates at up to 150 stations citywide.

Almost as soon as the gates appeared, social media filled with videos and commentary—riders praising the sleek, European look, others documenting alarms going off, doors snapping shut and bags getting caught mid-exit. Predictably, some New Yorkers are already speculating (or joking) about how fare beaters might adapt.

Love them or hate them, the new gates are already doing one thing well: giving New Yorkers something to argue about.

Here are some of the best reactions to the new apparatuses: