Tap to pay on the Tube just got faster.
Paying for daily necessities using your phone might feel like the future, but the reality can sometimes be slower as mobile payments require authentication that can take time to approve. To combat this issue, Apple has brought its Express feature to London, making it far quicker and easier to use Apple Pay on services like the Tube.
Apple’s Express Mode can now be used on all Transport for London (TfL) services, including buses, trams and the underground system. Users only need to tap their phone or Apple Watch against the yellow card reader to pay for their journey.
Apple Pay typically uses biometric data like Touch ID or Face ID to authorize payments, which makes it slower than competing service Google Pay. Now, with Express Mode, customers can choose a default card to use for TfL journeys so they don’t need to authenticate the payment each time they board a bus or walk through a barrier.
The system works with iPhone 6 and above or Apple Watch. Similar systems are already in place in other locations including New York, Portland, Beijing, Shanghai and cities across Japan.
