Portland-Vancouver has become the first place in the U.S. to let iPhone and Apple Watch users use Apple Pay to pay for their Express Transit needs.
Starting now, customers can take advantage of the functionality to board local TriMet and C-Tran buses, MAX light rail trains, and the Portland Streetcar.
In order to use this service, they will need to download the Hop app for the Portland area. The Hop Fastpass can then be added to Apple Wallet and used in place of a physical ticket or card. All customers need to do is to hold their Apple Pay device near to the reader on MAX platforms or related vehicles.
“Apple Pay transforms everyday experiences and we’re thrilled Portland-Vancouver residents will now be able to go quickly through their daily commute with just their iPhone and Apple Watch,” Apple Pay VP Jennifer Bailey told the Portland Tribune. (Interestingly, the article no longer appears to be online, although the official quotes from Apple suggest this wasn’t a rumor.)
Express Transit Apple Pay integration is something new for Apple in the U.S. But it’s not the first time customers have been able to use Apple Pay to cover public transport. Similar Express Transit support is available in Japan and China. Non-Express Transit mode transportation payment is also available in Canada, Russia, Singapore, the U.K. and elsewhere.
Express Transit mode is set to come to Chicago and New York later this year.