Yet more news on the growing reach of Apple Pay – Transport for London has confirmed that Apple Pay Express Transit will be made available across the transport network in the coming months.

What is Apple Pay Express Transit?

London transport users have paid fares using Apple Pay for years.

It’s so simple – wave your device, authorize the payment, and climb aboard the bus, boat or go through the gates on the tube. Appe Pay Express Transit makes this a great deal easier – you’ll just need to wave your iPhone or Apple Watch across the payment terminal and approval will be automatic.

Here’s how Apple describes Apple Pay Transit:

“When you enter and exit the ticket gates, simply hold the top of your iPhone or the display of your Apple Watch within a few centimeters of the middle of the ticket gate scanner until you feel a vibration. You’ll see Done and a checkmark on the display. Your iPhone or Apple Watch must be turned on, but it doesn’t have to be connected to a network. With Express Transit, you don’t need to validate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode, and you don’t need to wake or unlock your device or open an app.”

You must set the system up and choose a payment card to use with Express Transit, many people like to use a pay-as-you-go card for this as it controls spending and help protect against the (very, very unlikely and no cases yet) of fraud against the Apple Pay Transit system.

‘We are working closely’

You must set the system up and choose a payment card to use with Express Transit, many people like to use a pay-as-you-go card for this as it controls spending and help protect against the (very, very unlikely and no cases yet) of fraud against the Apple Pay Transit system.

This basically means you’ll get through the gates faster than using a ticket.

That’s a good thing.]

Writing on Twitter, Transport for London confirmed its plan to support Apple Pay Transit:

Hoping @TfL add support for the new Express Transit Card options with Apple Pay in the near future 🤞 https://t.co/6sNfBuEsPI

— Aled Samuel 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@samuelaled) May 15, 2019

“We are working closely with Apple to allow the benefits of this update to be introduced on London’s transport network in the coming months,” it said.

And in a statement to The Verge, Tfl (who run London’s transport network) added: “We are having positive discussions with Apple about enabling express transit on Apple devices on the TfL network.”

It also promised that “more information about timing and plans will be available at a future date,” which makes this Apple watcher anticipate a little action at WWDC…

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