October 24, 2024, 11:27 am | Read time: 4 minutes

Thanks to Apple Pay, iPhone users can now make many mobile payments at home and abroad without any problems. But buying a metro ticket is still a bit of a challenge for iPhone users in many places. That changes if you know about this hidden function in the Wallet app. TECHBOOK explains how you can easily buy public transport tickets without an additional app.

Every transport operator worldwide has its own app that you have to install first – and sometimes, these are only available for Android phones. It is more convenient, at least in cities like New York or London, when you can use the public transport network simply by contactless payment with the activated “Express public transport card” function. However, it would be even easier if you could buy your metro or suburban train ticket directly in your Wallet via Apple Pay. Good news for all iPhone users: You can do this!

iPhone Wallet public transport card: how to use the function

1. Open the Wallet app and tap on the small plus sign in the top right-hand corner.
2. Then select “Public transport card” and simply enter the name of the city or payment system in the search field.
3. You can then buy your ticket or top it up with an amount of money and pay using Apple Pay.
4. The purchased public transport card is then displayed in the Wallet on your iPhone and can be used directly.

These transport companies already use the public transport card function in Wallet

Currently, the Wallet primarily features destinations in Asia, with a significant number from China. However, major cities such as Toronto in Canada and the Los Angeles metropolitan area in the United States are also represented. Since the 2024 Summer Olympics, the function has become available for local transport in and around the metropolitan region of Paris, France.

As Apple explains in a press release, the card purchase function for public transport cards can also be used with the Apple Watch. In addition to the Wallet function, Apple also provides real-time public transport information for participating transport companies in its Maps app. This feature is quite convenient for travelers.

Below is an overview of all participating transport companies, as well as the card and payment systems they use:

France

• Navigo (Paris)

Japan

• ICOCA
• PASMO
• SUICA

Canada

• PRESTO (Greater Toronto Area)

USA

• Clipper (San Francisco Bay Area)
• SmarTrip (Washington D.C. metropolitan area)
• TAP (Greater Los Angeles area)

Hong Kong

• Octopus

China (Mainland)

• Bus card for Qingdao
• Changsha public transportation card
• Changzhou Public Transport Card
• Dalian Public Transport Card
• Foshan Public Transport Card
• Guangzhou Public Transport Card
• Nanjing Public Transport Card
• Ningbo Public Transport Card
• Chaozhou Public Transport Map
• Heyuan Public Transportation Map
• Jieyang Public Transport Card
• Jilin Public Transportation Map
• Jinan Public Transport Card
• Jinhua Public Transport Card
• Lhasa Public Transport Card
• Maoming Public Transport Card
• Nanchang Public Transport Card
• Shanwei Public Transport Card
• Shaoguan Public Transport Card
• Taizhou Public Transport Card
• Yunfu Public Transport Card
• Beijing (T-Union) public transportation map
• Shanghai (T-Union) public transportation map
• Shenzhen Public Transport Card
• Shijiazhuang Public Transport Card
• Suzhou-Public Transport Map
• Tianjin Public Transport Card
• Xi’an Public Transport Card
• Xiamen Public Transport Card
• Xuzhou Public Transport Card
• IMAGE: NAVIGO APPLE

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In some major cities, such as New York or London, you can buy a ticket simply by holding your smartphone or Apple Watch up to the ticket reader. This is enabled by the Express Transit Card feature. This allows you to buy tickets, even when the device is idle, without having to unlock it or authenticate yourself with Face ID, Touch ID, or a code.

There are two ways to activate this function on your iPhone. Firstly, by carrying out the following steps:

1. Open the Wallet app and select a card, ticket, or key.
2. Tap on the More button (…) and then on “Card details.”
3. Tap on the express public transport settings or express mode.
4. Select your preferred public transport, debit or credit card, another compatible ticket, or a key.

Alternatively, you can also use “Settings” under “Wallet & Apple Pay” under “Express public transport card” to specify which of the credit cards stored with Apple Pay should be used for debits. A complete list of where in the world you can use these or the other Wallet functions can be found in the Apple support area.