As 2020 comes to a close, New York City's Metro Transit Authority has officially finished its rollout of Apple Pay and other contactless payment systems across all MTA subway and bus stations in the five boroughs.
Use Apple Pay to Travel New York
Apple Pay was first trialled as a payment method for transportation at selected subway stations more than 18 months ago. That rollout process has now been completed, meaning that it's possible to pay for your transport using your iPhone or Apple Watch with the tap-and-pay OMNY (One Metro New York) system installed throughout the network.
"OMNY is available at all subway stations and on all buses, allowing you to tap and go throughout New York City," said MTA in a statement. "You can use OMNY with your own contactless card or smart device. OMNY currently supports a full-fare, pay-per-ride option for now, including free transfers."
While Apple Pay and other contactless options are accepted throughout subway stations and the bus system, they can only be used for purchasing individual journeys. That means that there is no equivalent of the unlimited ride MetroCard pass just yet.
It’s OMNY Time—everywhere!
— MTA. Wear a Mask. Stop the Spread. (@MTA) December 31, 2020
Every bus
Every subway station
Every borough
Contactless fare payment is the best way to ride in 2021. Learn more and see if OMNY is right for you 👇 https://t.co/HOjO7m6Sjf pic.twitter.com/q66XOsbcoB
In a Friday press conference, MTA executive director Al Putre said that the next aim is to bring OMNY to New York rail lines, along with increasing functionality so that it matches the MetroCard pass.
The MetroCards will continue to hang around until 2023. By then, MTA will entirely replace them with its OMNY system.
The Metro Transit Authority originally planned to have this OMNY rollout across New York completed by October this year. However, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed back those plans to December. Judging by the fact that this completed rollout was announced on the absolute last day of December, it seems that the MTA required every single moment it had at its disposal.
The Apple Pay Rollout Around the World
Apple Pay was initially announced by Apple in September 2014 at its iPhone 6 event. Since then, the service has continued to go from strength to strength. It is now available in close to 50 countries around the world, allowing people to buy items with their iPhone or other devices.
According to analysts at Loup Ventured, cited by the Financial Times, Apple Pay is currently used by 507 million people worldwide. That is approximately half of the people in the world who own an iPhone.
Apple Pay is also offered as a payment option on public transport systems in 13 countries. This includes Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Portland, and Washington D.C. in the United States.
Image Credit: Eddi Aguirre/Unsplash CC
