Apple Pay Express Transit Mode is now on offer in Chicago

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Apple-Pay-Express-Transit-London
Available to commuters with a Ventra Card.
Photo: Apple

Apple Pay with Express Transit is now available to commuters with a Ventra Card in Chicago, making it easier for them to travel around the city on public transport.

Ventra Card can be easily added to the Cards section of the Apple Wallet app. This allows customers to use their Ventra Cards to pay for any bus rides they take, along with riding the “L” train system. Customers can pay using their iPhone or Apple Watch. (Word of advice, though: Once you’ve added your Ventra Card to the Apple Wallet app, the physical card will no longer work.)

If you don’t own a Ventra Card, you can purchase one using the Ventra app. This can then be easily added to Apple Wallet. At present, special fare program cards like the RTA Reduced Fare Program and Student Ventra Cards are not currently available to use through Apple Wallet.

What makes Express Transit Mode so great

Express Transit arrived with iOS 12.3 in May 2019. It has gradually been expanding to cities all around the world — including New York, London, San Diego, Washington D.C., and others. Many more places accept regular Apple Pay at the ticket barrier. The big advantage of Express Transit, however, is speed. Rather than having to double-press the side button on your iPhone or Apple Watch and then having to authenticate it using Face ID or Touch ID (on the iPhone, at least), with Express Transit you simply hold your device next to the contactless sensor at a ticket barrier. It will then open as if by magic.

You can check out more details about the feature through Cult of Mac‘s handy Express Transit explainer.

Do you use Apple Pay’s Express Transit Mode feature? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Via: Apple Insider

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