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LA Metro's TAP Card Now Supports Apple Pay With Express Transit Mode

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As promised, Los Angeles Metro's TAP card now supports Apple Pay with Express Transit mode, allowing the card to be added to the Wallet app on a compatible iPhone or Apple Watch for tap-and-go payment at rail stations and on buses.

la tap card apple pay
Express Transit mode allows users to pay for rides without having to wake or unlock their iPhone or Apple Watch, or open an app. The mode also bypasses the need to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode. Users simply need to hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near the contactless payment reader until a checkmark appears on the display.

While the Los Angeles Metro is set to formally announce its new TAP app later today, Apple has already updated a support document to reflect TAP's support for Apple Pay, as spotted by Twitter user Kanjo, who shared the screenshot above.

Apple Pay with Express Transit mode went live for the SmarTrip card in the Washington, D.C. area earlier this week, and the feature is also available in New York City, Portland, London, Hong Kong, and many cities across China and Japan.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay
Related Forum: Apple Music, Apple Pay/Card, iCloud, Fitness+

Top Rated Comments

A
Antes
73 months ago
Wish this would have come sooner when I took the trains but better late than never.
In LA they just proposed the Fareless System Initiative in hopes of making all metro rides free for everyone.
I always wanted the convenience of having my TAP card in my phone but free rides sound better to me.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gnasher729 Avatar
gnasher729
73 months ago

With this express card mode, is the amount of of the bus fare auto payed at that time, or do you have to "fill up" the tap card before hand?
In London, it's connected to a bank account of yours. The money is taken out at the end of the day. Obviously they can't take money when you tap in, because the amount is unknown yet. Express card mode just identifies you. "gnasher was at this point".
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
J
jailbreak74
73 months ago

hmm, it seems there is no option to transfer an existing balance like I had with the DC Metro. Just to add funds to a new card. Oh well, next time I’m in LA I’ll just have to use up my old balance the old fashioned way: with plastic.


You can use their tap app to transfer your current card but I guess you can no longer use the physical card.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tap-la/id1505839730
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dontwalkhand Avatar
dontwalkhand
73 months ago

In London, it's connected to a bank account of yours. The money is taken out at the end of the day. Obviously they can't take money when you tap in, because the amount is unknown yet. Express card mode just identifies you. "gnasher was at this point".
London is using open loop transit like NYC and Chicago are. LA, and DC are using closed loop transit.

Oyster is supposed to come to Apple Pay soon to join these closed loop cards as people have passes, government benefits, etc on them.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dontwalkhand Avatar
dontwalkhand
73 months ago

hmm, it seems there is no option to transfer an existing balance like I had with the DC Metro. Just to add funds to a new card. Oh well, next time I’m in LA I’ll just have to use up my old balance the old fashioned way: with plastic.


Download the app. I have successfully transferred my physical card to Apple Pay and even the Metro 31 day pass moved over.


Right, I keep reading stories like this and thinking “I wish we had this here in Berlin”. Then I remember that we don’t have any security gates or other checks before entry on public transport (although we’re still supposed to pay, in theory - legal free rides would be even better!)
Most US transit doesn’t have fare gates either. We aren’t all New York. You tap a validator before you get on the train or on the bus fare box.

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Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dontwalkhand Avatar
dontwalkhand
73 months ago

Wish this would have come sooner when I took the trains but better late than never.
In LA they just proposed the Fareless System Initiative in hopes of making all metro rides free for everyone.
I always wanted the convenience of having my TAP card in my phone but free rides sound better to me.
Reading into it the free rides aren’t just hop on and go and you’d still need to possess a fare card with “free passes”...probably to felicitate Inter agency transfers or more likely to keep everyone without a card off. This would still be useful for that. You’d just never have to add any money to it.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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