SEPTA - Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
04/04/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/04/2025 08:59
Contactless Payment Launches on Regional Rail
SEPTA is proud to be the first commuter rail system in the United States to deploy contactless payment!
Beginning today, April 4, 2025, SEPTA now accepts contactless payment options on Regional Rail. Customers are able to easily tap on and tap off using any credit/debit card or mobile wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay) at Regional Rail faregates and platform validators. Contactless payment has been available on SEPTA Bus and Metro services since September 2023.
Any validator with credit card icons displayed on the screen is ready to accept contactless payments. Before tapping, riders are encouraged to separate their credit/debit cards, Key card and mobile device to avoid the incorrect card or account getting charged.
How to Use Contactless on Regional Rail
- Simply tap on and tap off with your debit/credit card or mobile device - just as you would with a SEPTA Key card. Depending on which the station has, you'll tap on and tap off at either a faregate or a platform validator.
- Regional Rail contactless fares and rules are the same as the current Travel Wallet fares.
- If you have an Apple device with Express Mode enabled, hold your device near the reader, and you can securely use Apple Pay - with no need to wake or unlock the device.
- When onboard the train, a conductor can only check that your contactless payment opened a trip when you tapped on earlier. Conductors cannot open a trip for you on your contactless payment. If a conductor asks to inspect your fare, present the same method of payment you used at the validator or faregate, and your contactless trip will be validated. If you forgot to tap on, don't worry! You can still buy a Quick Trip onboard with your contactless payment.
- When tapping a mobile wallet with the conductors for inspection, riders should have the mobile wallet open with the card used to tap on ready for presentation. This process is similar to using a mobile wallet to pay at a grocery store, but conductors are only checking to see if a trip is open.
New Jersey and Amtrak Riders
Riders traveling to/from New Jersey (Trenton and West Trenton Stations) on SEPTA cannot use contactless to tap to ride at this time, but SEPTA is working to install validators at these stations.
Amtrak e-ticket holders with the Amtrak app can add their e-ticket to Apple Wallet for easy access. When presenting an Amtrak e-ticket at a bar code scanner, SEPTA riders should tap on the ticket's Lock Screen notification to prevent additional charges from occurring during the transaction. Android users should disable NFC before scanning their Amtrak mobile ticket.
Contactless on Bus and Metro
On bus and Metro (Broad Street Line [B], Market-Frankford Line [L], Norristown High Speed Line [M] & Subway-Surface Trolleys [T] and the Route 15 Trolley [G]), riders can simply tap any credit/debit card or Apple/Google/Samsung Pay on the reader and hop on.
Tap your contactless bank card (either physical card or in Apple/Google/Samsung Pay) at the reader. It costs the same as the Travel Wallet ($2.50) and includes two free transfers, as long as you tap the same card. When using your physical card, remove it from your wallet first to ensure the proper card is charged.
Contactless Payment FAQ
How do I use contactless payment?
Tap your contactless bank card (either physical card or in Apple/Google/Samsung Pay) at the reader. Do not tap your wallet on the reader. To prevent card clash, you must take your preferred payment card out and tap it individually.
What is card clash?
Card clash happens when two or more forms of contactless payment are detected at the card reader at the same time. Make sure to keep your credit, debit and SEPTA Key cards separate when tapping in and out.
How much does it cost?
The cost is the same as Travel Wallet, depending on travel mode.
Do I get a free transfer?
On Bus and Metro, you get two free transfers within 120 minutes, same as with the Travel Wallet, as long as you tap the same card. Regional Rail trips do not include free transfers.
Why isn't there a charge on my card right away?
You will see a single charge for your total trip costs at the end of the day, and charges will settle on your account within 2 - 3 business days.
Can I use my smart watch or smartphone?
Yes, both. To avoid card clash, keep your watch away from the card reader if you wish to use a card for payment.
Is Express Mode available for Apple Pay?
Express Mode is available for contactless use on all validators.
How do I get a receipt for my payment?
Visit www.septakey.org and click on Help & Info > Print Receipt. Select Contactless from the drop down menu and complete the CAPTCHA request. On the next screen, enter the account details from your physical bank card (even if you tapped your Apple/Google/Samsung Pay).
Where can I use contactless payment?
As of April 4, 2025, contactless payment is accepted on all modes of SEPTA transit.
How will this work for Reduced Fare, Senior Card and CCT Connect?
These services require a SEPTA Key photo ID card to travel, so contactless payments won't apply. Of course, you can use your bank card to load Travel Wallet on your Key card.
Will riders still be able to use their SEPTA Key card or cash?
Yes, SEPTA Key cards and cash can still be used as a form of payment.
Are multiple riders eligible under contactless payment options?
No. Not currently. Groups traveling together who have a Key card can enable multi-rider which allows up to five riders to use one card. Multi-rider for Key card is available to use on all modes at SEPTA. More details can be found on SEPTA's Ways to Pay page.
On Bus and Metro, groups can purchase multiple Key Tix on the SEPTA App and tap their phone once for each person in their group. Key Tix can be used for any applicable free transfers within a 2-hour window as long as the same card is used.
My contactless media was working on SEPTA and now it is not. How can I get it to work again?
If you tap your contactless media and get a message stating "Card Decline THL," this means that your bank declined your card and you owe SEPTA for a previous trip. The system will automatically retry your transaction, wait 30-60 minutes before you tap that card again. The Key Call Center (1-855-56-SEPTA) can advise if your card is still blocked and why.
Can I use a non-US based card or phone for contactless payment?
SEPTA accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and AMEX credit cards, debit cards and digital wallets. JCB and Union Pay are not accepted.
Can I use a prepaid debit card?
It depends. The prepaid debit card must be a contactless card, which you can check by locating this symbol either on the back or front of the card. If the prepaid debit card does not have the contactless symbol, you will be unable to use it for contactless payments on SEPTA.
The prepaid debit card must also support transit transactions, which not all prepaid debit cards do. Unfortunately, there is no symbol for this. If your prepaid debit card has the contactless symbol but gets declined on a SEPTA device, that means you cannot use it on SEPTA.
Can I use prepaid debit cards added to Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay?
If you are able to add the prepaid card to your mobile wallet, then it can used for contactless payments on SEPTA. Some prepaid cards cannot be added to a mobile wallet, but this is determined by the bank/issuer.
Express Mode for iPhone and Apple Watch
With Express Mode enabled for debit or credit cards, riders don't need to wake or unlock their iPhone or Apple Watch or even open any apps to pay and ride on SEPTA - all users have to do is hold their Apple device near a reader to securely pay with Apple Pay.
Once a user has chosen which debit or credit card they'd like to use with Express Mode, they can simply tap their iPhone or Apple Watch to an enabled reader to ride.
Security & Privacy
Riding SEPTA with Apple Pay takes full advantage of the privacy and security built into iPhone and Apple Watch. Apple never tracks users' journeys, and when customers add a credit or debit card to Apple Wallet, the card information is encrypted and securely stored in the Secure Element, an industry-standard, certified chip designed to store the information safely on the device. If a user's iPhone or Apple Watch is misplaced, the owner of the device can promptly use the Find My app to lock and help locate the device.
iPhone and Apple Watch Express Mode FAQ
What device do I need to use Express Mode with Apple Pay?
You will need iPhone SE, iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus, or later, with iOS 12.4 or later, or Apple Watch Series 1 or Series 2, or later, with watch OS 5.2.1 or later.
Can I pay to ride SEPTA with Apple Pay on both iPhone and Apple Watch?
Yes. Just make sure that you have added a payment card to your iPhone and Apple Watch and enabled Express Mode. You can add a card to Apple Watch with the Apple Watch app on your iPhone. Remember to use the same device to tap on and off when paying with Apple Pay.
What happens if my physical cards and devices are accidentally charged at the same time?
Only one card will ever be charged at a time. To ensure that only your chosen payment method is charged, always keep your physical cards separate from your Apple devices when paying to ride SEPTA Bus or Metro using Express Mode.
Can I use Express Mode for other payments?
No. Express Mode can only be used on SEPTA. Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode will still be required when using Apple Pay at other locations.
Can I add a SEPTA Key card to Apple Wallet on my device to pay to ride SEPTA?
No. You can only use a credit, debit or pre-paid card to pay with Express Mode using Apple Pay.
Where can I use Express Mode today to travel?
Express Mode is available on bus, Metro (Broad Street Line [B], Market-Frankford Line [L], and Norristown High Speed Line [M], Subway-Surface Trolleys [T] and the Route 15 Trolley [G]) and Regional Rail.
Can I use weekly or monthly unlimited ride passes with my device?
No, contactless is for single rides only and follows the same pricing and rules as Travel Wallet.
What is power reserve on iPhone?
You may be able to use your Express Mode cards on your iPhone even when your device needs to be charged. With compatible iPhone models, you might be able to use power reserve with some cards that have Express Mode turned on for up to five hours when your iPhone needs to be charged.
To see the cards available for use with power reserve, press the side button or the Home button when your iPhone needs to be charged. However, pressing the side button or Home button often may reduce the power reserve significantly. If you turn off your iPhone, this feature won't be available.
Does it cost extra to use Apple Pay?
No. Apple does not charge any fees when you use Apple Pay.
Apple Pay is a service provided by Apple Payments Services LLC, a subsidiary of Apple Inc. Neither Apple Inc. nor Apple Payments Services LLC is a bank. Any card used in Apple Pay is offered by the card issuer.