MARTA launches Better Breeze fare payments March 28, adding tap-to-pay and replacing current cards and app

A systemwide changeover begins Saturday, with a five-week transition window

MARTA is scheduled to begin a systemwide transition to its new “Better Breeze” fare collection system on Saturday, March 28, 2026, introducing contactless “tap-to-pay” options and replacing the existing Breeze payment infrastructure across rail stations and buses. The agency has set a transition period running from March 28 through May 2, 2026, when both the old and new payment systems are expected to operate in parallel.

The modernization replaces faregates, ticket vending machines, validators, physical fare media and the mobile app. MARTA has said the Breeze name will remain, but the underlying technology and customer-facing tools are being rebuilt as part of a broader push toward account-based fare management and open payments.

What changes for riders at stations and on buses

Once the transition begins, riders will be able to pay fares by tapping a contactless bank card or using a mobile wallet on a smartphone or smartwatch at compatible faregates and bus validators. MARTA is also introducing a newly designed physical Breeze card intended for the upgraded system, alongside an updated mobile app that requires customers to create a new account to store and manage fare value.

• New payment options: contactless bank cards and mobile wallets at faregates and validators.
• New equipment: upgraded faregates, onboard validators and touchscreen vending machines.
• New fare media: a redesigned Breeze card and a replacement mobile app.

What happens to existing Breeze cards and the current mobile app

MARTA has stated that current Breeze fare media will not function on the Better Breeze system once the cutover is complete. The agency has framed the March 28–May 2 window as the primary opportunity for customers to switch to the new tools while maintaining access to the system.

Key dates: The transition period begins March 28, 2026, and the final day to use the old Breeze fare media is May 2, 2026.

Reduced-fare, Mobility and regional partner impacts

MARTA has said the changeover includes its regional transit partners and will also affect Mobility and reduced-fare customers beginning March 28. For those riders, the new system adds the option to use either the new physical Breeze card or a “virtual card” through the updated app, in addition to other supported payment methods.

MARTA has emphasized that cash will remain an option for paying fares on local bus routes and for purchasing fare products through vending machines and customer service locations.

Why the upgrade is happening

MARTA has described Better Breeze as a security and reliability upgrade as well as a convenience upgrade. The agency has said the redesigned faregates are intended to be harder to tamper with and can be monitored and adjusted remotely. The rollout also arrives as Atlanta prepares for a major international travel surge tied to large-scale events in 2026, when contactless payments are expected to be especially important for visitors unfamiliar with local fare products.