SEPTA riders can use tap-to-pay technology for bus, trains, and trolley rides starting Friday

SEPTA riders will be able to use credit and debit cards or mobile apps to pay for trolleys, buses, and transit trains, beginning Friday morning. 

Unlike SEPTA key cards or Key Tix, no pre-registration is required to use the new payment system. Instead, riders can pay with credit cards, debit cards, or smartphone wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. Key Cards will still be needed for passes, including daily, weekly, and monthly passes, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. 

Riders who use the new payment options will be charged $2.00 per one-way trip with up to two free transfers, the same prices as Key Card users. Cash fares and paper Quick Tickets are $2.50. The new payment system is expected to be available on the Regional Rail system in 2024, according to the Inquirer. 

“This technology makes SEPTA more convenient for everyone to use SEPTA, whether you are a regular customer, occasional rider, or a new customer," SEPTA CEO and General Manager Leslie Richards said to Philly Voice. 

While the technology is expected to roll out Friday morning, SEPTA officials say riders should expect to see some flaws in the system because the new technology has to be installed in 2,268 validators, including on 1,513 individual buses, the Inquirer reported.

Officials also warn of the possibility of a “card clash,” where contactless payment cards detect the wrong card through wallets or bags. To avoid this, officials recommend riders take out the card or phone they intend to use before going through the turnstile.

Since July, SEPTA has recruited about 300 volunteers to test out the contactless payment methods, Philly Voice reported. 

“We’re excited about these new options,” SEPTA Director of Media Relations Andrew Busch told the Inquirer. “This is what we’ve been working toward and what our customers have wanted.”