Unlimited ride MetroCards will become refillable

The MTA will begin letting riders refill monthly and weekly MetroCards next month.

It's the first time straphangers can reuse the unlimited-ride cards, the agency said, and riders will be able to store an extra week or month on their card. The new feature was first reported by Second Avenue Sagas.

The change will impact nearly half of the agency's straphangers, who currently buy monthly and weekly transit passes.

One caveat to the policy is that 30-day unlimited cards can only be refilled with a 30-day card for $104, and weekly cards can only be reused for an unlimited 7-day card, which sells for $29. They can be refilled until the card's expiration date.

Riders also can't buy two months or weeks at a time; they will have to wait until they've swiped it at least once to add extra time, according to MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan.

But, he added, the extra time won't start automatically - it doesn't kick in until you use it again. So, if your monthly card expires on Friday and you don't ride the subway until Monday, you won't be charged for those two days in between.

The cash-strapped agency plans to charge riders that don't reuse old cards $1 for a new card. The policy is expected to go in effect next year.