Just tap your contactless bank card or phone at the OMNY reader — no card to buy, and rides cap automatically at $35/week.
Getting to the start
"My Buddy" statue, Forest Park, Queens, NY
Official page states race is 'easy to reach by public transportation or car' but does not name a specific station.
Forest Park is accessible via the J/Z subway at Woodhaven Blvd and the E/F at Union Turnpike-Kew Gardens, both roughly 0.5-1 mile from the start area.
Confirms this well-known race is held in NYC (Forest Park, Queens, not Central Park).
Getting to the finish
Same as start: My Buddy statue, Forest Park, Queens, NY
Race is a 12-lap, 2.5-mile loop on the Orange Trail (counterclockwise), finishing where it starts
More details
None mentioned
IC card
OMNY card
Physical OMNY cards can be bought/reloaded at vending machines in subway stations,
or at 2,700+ retailers citywide including Walgreens, CVS, 7-Eleven, and many bodegas/independent pharmacies.
Works directly at the gates
More details
MetroCard was retired — December 31, 2025 was the last day to buy or refill one.
Since January 2026, OMNY (tap-and-go) is the only fare system for subway, buses, PATH, Staten Island Railway, and the Roosevelt Island Tram.
There's no upfront weekly pass to buy anymore: OMNY automatically caps subway/local-bus fares at $35 (12 rides) within any rolling 7-day period once you use the same card,
phone, or device every time.
If you'd rather use a physical card instead of your bank card, it costs $2 from a station vending machine or $5 at retail stores.
Stations & transport near the venue
This race is held in Forest Park, Queens, New York City, so the standard OMNY contactless system applies —
foreign visitors can tap a contactless bank card or phone directly at subway turnstiles and buses without buying a separate card,
at the standard $2.90 base fare.
A physical OMNY card is also available for purchase at station vending machines if preferred.
