Photo by LaTur.

In the eternal debate over paper versus plastic, Metro has picked a side once and for all—plastic.

WMATA vending machines no longer issue paper farecards. The transition to all SmarTrip began in October and a press release says that Metro completed the planned transition a month ahead of schedule.

The final stations to undergo the change were Anacostia and Naylor Road, both of which switched over last night.

“SmarTrip technology uses no moving parts, a sharp contrast from the highly mechanical system of belts, pulleys, readers and ink stamps that are involved with processing paper farecards. Similar to the issues found in copy machines, paper farecards are prone to getting jammed, which can take a faregate out of service,” Metro writes in the release.

This could perhaps cut down on the average two problems per trip that Metro riders experience, as well as speed up entrances and exits through the gates.

It also decreases waste, because the SmarTrips are reusable. The 38 million paper farecards sold over the past three years would reach from D.C. to Las Vegas if organized from end-to-end, according to Metro.

As for the tourists who will now get their very own plastic souvenir from our transportation system, Metro says that they’re not getting screwed. The cost of a new card is now $2, so after two trips it evens out with the increased cost per trip of a paper farecard.

Machines will still accept paper until March 6, 2016. Learn about how to trade in your paper farecard for its plastic counterpart here.