The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) began rolling out contactless payment options on all transit modes Sept. 29. Regional Rail will follow in early 2024.
“We are thrilled to launch this new way to pay,” said SEPTA Board Chairman Pasquale T. Deon Sr. “Contactless payment is the future of public transit and this technology will transform how people travel on SEPTA.”
Riders on SEPTA’s city and suburban buses, trolleys, Market-Frankford Line, Broad Street Line and Norristown High Speed Line will be able to simply tap any credit or debit card, in physical form or through apps like Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay at a turnstile and as they board a bus or trolley. The contactless options come with the same benefits that had previously only been available with the SEPTA Key – in particular, a discounted $2 one-way fare and up to two transfers.
“This technology makes SEPTA more convenient for everyone to use SEPTA – whether you are a regular customer, occasional rider or a new customer,” said SEPTA CEO and General Manager Leslie S. Richards. “By giving our riders the option to pay their fares with what they already have in their pockets, we are making our system easier to use. This will be critical as we continue with efforts to rebuild ridership.”
The rollout of contactless payment for customers comes after nearly 300 people tested the system during a pilot test over the summer.
