Metro

Play your MetroCards right

Don’t try hoarding your old MetroCards ahead of the MTA fare hike.

All monthly and weekly cards bought before the fare increases must be swiped by March 11 — nine days after the hikes go into effect — in order to get the full value, the agency announced yesterday.

Monthly MetroCards bought before the hike won’t be valid after April 9, while weekly ones will expire on March 17.

Under the fare increases, a monthly unlimited-ride card will go from $104 to $112. A weekly will rise from $29 to $30.

The new $2.50 base fare — 25cents higher than the current price — will be deducted from pay-per-ride cards as soon as the hikes take effect, regardless of when the cards were bought.

The MTA is also adding a $1 fee to all MetroCards bought after March 3.

The so-called green fee is supposed to encourage riders to recycle their cards and only applies to newly bought ones.

Straphangers who are refilling their existing monthly or pay-per-ride MetroCards — and those trading in expired ones — won’t be slapped with the fee.