SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Starting Wednesday, BART riders have a new option to pay for their fare. The “Tap and Ride” system allows commuters to pay with contactless credit or debit cards or mobile payment apps like Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Just like payment pads inside retail stores, people can now also tap to pay with a credit card on their phones at BART gates. Plastic credit cards work too, as long as they have a contactless payment chip.
New payment options come with new questions. Below are the most common questions from our KRON4 viewers answered by BART:
Are Clipper cards still honored at the gate?
Yes. Tap and Ride offers additional ways to pay fares, but it isn’t replacing Clipper cards. “You can still use Clipper,” BART said. “But if you have an out of town guest or a friend who doesn’t have Clipper, they can use their credit card.”
What happens if you still have a balance on your Clipper card?
Since Clipper acceptance isn’t going anywhere, the balances can still be used. “You can still use your Clipper cards,” BART said. “We just offer other ways to pay now.”
Will cash still be accepted?
Yes. BART said that riders can still load a Clipper card with cash at a machine or use cash to buy a new Clipper card.
How can you use your senior or student discount?
When using credit cards or mobile payment apps to buy fares at the gate, a standard adult fare is always charged. “For those with discount cards, you have to keep using those cards,” BART said. “And this new way to pay isn’t for you.”
Why don’t other Bay Area transit agencies have this?
While BART said it is getting Tap and Ride first, it is expected to be implemented Bay Area-wide in the future. “The goal is to roll it out all across the 27 transit systems in the Bay Area,” BART Spokesperson Chris Filippi said.
I could already pay with Clipper on my phone. What’s different?
Tap and Ride payments do not require a Clipper account, offering greater payment options to more people. “This new option requires no set up at all. It is good for visitors, tourists and infrequent riders,” BART said.
People will still be able to add Clipper cards to their digital wallets rather than using the new payment options.
A lot of tourists visiting the Bay Area don’t have a Clipper account and don’t realize until the last minute that they need to download it. One BART rider, Miko Hammond, told KRON4 that he no longer has to worry about finding his Clipper card and can now rely on any form of payment.
More information on the new contactless payment options can be found on the BART website.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
