The Paypers

According to WTOP, SmarTrip users with a compatible iPhone or Apple Watch are enabled to pair their cards to Apple Wallet, while holding their devices near a card reader at any location where the physical card is accepted, including fare gates in stations, buses, and parking lots.

Apple’s touch-free SmarTrip payment solution is offered in all 91 Metrorail stations, all Metrobus bus routes, and all regional bus service providers including ART, DASH, Fairfax Connector, Cue, Ride On, TheBus, Circulator, Loudoun County Transit, and Potomac and Rappahannock Transit/PRTC.

To use the new payment method, commuters will need to have an iPhone 8 or newer, or an Apple Watch Series 3 or newer, and run the most recent version of Apple’s iOS software. Besides, riders can add an extra SmarTrip card to their Apple Wallet or purchase a new one.

Users have to open the Wallet app on their iPhone, tap the ‘+’ key, choose SmarTrip under Transit Cards, and select the option to transfer a card or add value for a new one. Afterwards, they will get an on-screen confirmation from Apple Wallet stating that their balance has been transferred. However, their physical card won’t be usable anymore.

Furthermore, the payment doesn’t require an unlock through a passcode, as riders just need to hover their phone over a reader, while users of the iPhone XS/XR or newer can also pay with their phone for up to five hours after it runs out of power. Additionally, Metro has also rolled out a new SmarTrip app to complement Apple Wallet, where commuters will be able to view card balances, reload balances, set up Auto Reload, purchase passes, and manage SmartBenefits, WTOP reported.

Metro launches SmarTrip contactless payments with Apple Wallet