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Beginning in June 2005, Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) will offer smart cards, enabling passengers to pay fares with a single card. Resembling a credit card and containing a micro-chip, the cards would be accepted on regional subway, rail and bus lines.

"Smart cards will allow us to better integrate all of the mass transit services in the region, which will help to increase ridership," said New York Gov. George Pataki in a prepared statement.

PATH operator Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is spending more than $70 million to launch the smart card program. The authority has started installing turnstiles that will accept PATH QuickCards and MTA New York City Transit’s MetroCards. Existing turnstiles at the AirTrain JFK and AirTrain Newark stations will be programmed to accept smart cards.