WMATA, Cubic introduce SmarTrip for iPhone and Apple Watch

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has announced that SmarTrip® is launching on iPhone and Apple Watch to give riders new and more convenience.

Riders can now add a SmarTrip card to iPhone and Apple Watch, and simply hold their device near the card reader to pay anywhere SmarTrip is accepted: all 91 Metrorail stations in D.C., Maryland and Virginia; all Metro parking garages and lots; all Metrobus routes; and all regional bus providers, including ART, DASH, Fairfax Connector, Cue, Ride On, TheBus, Circulator, Loudoun County Transit and OmniRide.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has proved that there is a critical need for contactless payment technologies, especially within public transit,” said Jeff Lowinger, president of Cubic Transportation Systems. “We are excited to work with WMATA and Apple to deliver an easy-to-use solution that will change the way transit riders pay for their fares while minimizing physical touch points to ensure safety.”

SmarTrip on iPhone and Apple Watch provides riders a touch-free experience and a safer way to pay. Riders do not need to touch card readers or vending machines, and with Express Transit, they can move quickly through stations and fare gates without the need to use Face ID, Touch ID or wake their device.

“We are excited to deliver a new level of convenience and simplicity for our customers. If you have an iPhone or Apple Watch, you already have everything you need to simply tap and go," said WMATA General Manager/CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld. "In every step in the customer journey, SmarTrip on iPhone and Apple Watch makes it simpler, easier, faster, safer... just better."

Riders can easily view their stored value balance, passes and SmartBenefits in Apple Wallet on iPhone and Apple Watch, and can instantly reload funds with Apple Pay, removing the need to use a vending machine. Adding a SmarTrip card to an iPhone and Apple Watch is also easy and quick. A new card can be purchased directly in Apple Wallet, or a rider can transfer a physical SmarTrip or Senior SmarTrip card and its contents to their iPhone or Apple Watch.

“Residents in the Washington, D.C., area who rely on SmarTrip now have a safer way to pay for their rides using just their iPhone or Apple Watch,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay. "By adding their SmarTrip cards to their Apple devices, riders can take advantage of this ‘tap and go’ experience and also be assured that their transaction information is secure and private."

To complement SmarTrip in Apple Wallet, WMATA has also launched the new SmarTrip app in the App Store. In the app, WMATA riders can add funds, check balances, set up Auto Reload and manage SmartBenefits from their employer. Money-saving passes, like Metro's seven-day unlimited bus pass, can also be purchased in the app and added to SmarTrip, eliminating the need make a trip to a sales office, rail station or retail store.

WMATA says SmarTrip on iPhone and Apple Watch is a first of its kind in North America, and is the result of integration between WMATA, Apple and Cubic Transportation Systems, the company behind the SmarTrip system. The new mobile-based solution offers more accessibility options for riders with disabilities, and support for multiple languages is being introduced into the SmarTrip system for the first time. It is also expected to be an added convenience for visitors and tourists, replacing vending machines with the familiar devices they use all the time.

SmarTrip on iPhone and Apple Watch is now available on iPhone 8 and later as well as Apple Watch Series 3 and later.