Apple Pay with Express Transit is now available to commuters on the Metro transit system in Washington, D.C. Riders can add existing SmarTrip cards to their Wallet on iPhone and use it anywhere SmarTrip cards are accepted.
They also can use regional transit cards to pay for Metro trains, buses and regional transit lines.
Express Transit has been slowly making its way to a growing number of big cities around the world since making its debut in iOS 12.3 in May 2019. You can use it in New York, London, San Diego and more.
The feature’s latest arrival is in Washington, D.C., where SmarTrip transit cards can now be added to Apple Pay.
Express Transit live in Washington, D.C.
Once your SmarTrip card is stored in the Wallet app, you can use your iPhone or Apple Watch to pay for transport across 91 Metro stations, Metro parking lots, Metrobuses and regional bus providers.
This includes ART, DASH, Fairfax Connector, Cue, Ride On, TheBus, Circulator, Loudoun County Transit and Potomac, and Rappahannock Transit/PRTC, according to NBC Washington.
The short video below published by the Metro shows how to add a SmarTrip card to Apple Pay. We also have a great Express Transit explainer that’s well worth a read for anyone who’s unfamiliar with it.
Once you’ve added your SmarTrip card to the Wallet app, you can simply tap to pay without having to authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID. But note that your physical SmarTrip card will be deactivated.
‘Simply tap and go’
“If you have an iPhone or Apple Watch, you already have everything you need to simply tap and go,” said Metro General Manager and CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld in a statement Tuesday.
Express Transit works when your devices are in Low Power Mode, but it won’t work if they’re completely dead. So, before you head home from work, make sure at least one of them has some battery life remaining.
You can top up your SmarTrip card using a debit or credit card registered with Apple Pay, or via the SmarTrip app.
