Add a transit card to Apple Wallet

Add an eligible transit card to the Wallet app to pay for rides using Apple Pay.

To ride transit using Apple Pay, you need:

To add a new transit card, you need an eligible payment card in the Wallet app.3

Add a transit card on your iPhone or Apple Watch

You can add a transit card to the Wallet app on your iPhone or Apple Watch.

How to add a transit card on your iPhone

  1. On your iPhone, open the Wallet app.

  2. Tap the Add buttonThe add button.

  3. Tap Transit Card to add a new transit card or tap Previous Card to add a transit card that you previously added to the Wallet app.

  4. Choose a transit card from the list, or search by location or card name.

  5. Tap Continue.

  6. Choose an amount to put on your card and tap Add. If you select a pass to add to your card, tap Buy.4

  7. Follow the steps on the screen to confirm your purchase and add your transit card.

How to add a transit card on your Apple Watch

  1. On your Apple Watch, open the Wallet app.

  2. Scroll down and tap Add Card.

  3. Tap Transit Card to add a new transit card or tap Previous Card to add a transit card that you previously added to the Wallet app.

  4. Choose a transit card from the list.

  5. Tap Continue.

  6. Choose an amount to put on your card and tap Add Money. If you select a pass to add to your card, tap Buy.4

  7. Follow the steps on the screen to confirm your purchase and add your transit card.

When you add an eligible transit card, that card might be automatically set to Express Mode. You might also be able to add money to your transit card in the Wallet app.

Transit card use and availability might be limited based on region. Contact your transit agency to see if adding transit cards to the Wallet app is supported in your city or region.

Apple Watches managed with Family Setup might not be able to add cards directly on the Apple Watch.

Transfer your physical transit card to Apple Wallet

If you have a physical transit card, you might be able to move that card and its current balance to the Wallet app on your iPhone or Apple Watch.

Transfer your physical transit card to your iPhone

  1. On your iPhone, open the Wallet app.

  2. Tap the Add buttonThe add button.

  3. Tap Transit Card.

  4. Choose a card from the list, or search by location or card name.

  5. Tap Continue.

  6. Tap Transfer Existing Card.

  7. Enter your card number and other required information.5

  8. Place your transit card on a flat surface and rest the top of your iPhone on the card until you see Card Added on the screen. This process could take a few minutes to complete.

Transfer your physical transit card to your Apple Watch

  1. On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app.

  2. In the My Watch tab, tap Wallet & Apple Pay.

  3. Tap Add Card, then tap Transit Card.

  4. Choose a card from the list, or search by location or card name.

  5. Tap Continue.

  6. Tap Transfer Existing Card.

  7. Enter your card number and other required information.5

  8. Place your transit card on a flat surface and rest the top of your iPhone on the card until you see Card Added on the screen. This process could take a few minutes to complete.

If you receive an error, such as No Card Detected or Could Not Add Card:

  • If your iPhone has a case, take off the case or remove any metal that might come between your iPhone and your physical card.

  • Make sure that the top of your iPhone is resting on your physical card and remains still.

  • Check with your transit agency to see if your physical card can be transferred.

After you transfer your physical card to the Wallet app, your physical card might no longer work.

Use Express Mode with your transit card

By using Express Mode, you can quickly pay for rides with just a tap. You don't have to wake or unlock your device, or authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode.

When you add an eligible transit card, Express Mode might be enabled for that card by default. Or you can choose an eligible transit or payment card as your Express Mode card.

Learn how to set a transit or payment card to Express Mode.

Transfer your transit card between devices

You can only have a transit card in the Wallet app on one device at a time. To use your transit card on a different device, you can move it from your iPhone to your Apple Watch or from one iPhone to another.

How to transfer your transit card from your iPhone to your Apple Watch

  1. On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app.

  2. In the My Watch tab, tap Wallet & Apple Pay.

  3. Tap the Add button next to the transit card you want to move.

  4. You can also select Add Card to view a list of previous cards from your other devices.

You can use the Apple Watch app to move the card back to your iPhone when you aren't in transit.

How to transfer your transit card to a new device using Setup Assistant

  1. In Setup Assistant on your new iPhone, tap Wallet.

  2. Select the transit cards that you want to transfer from your previous device.

  3. Tap Continue to confirm that you want to transfer your transit card to your new device.6

Your previous device must be nearby and connected to the internet in order to complete the transfer to your new device.

How to transfer your transit card using the Wallet app

  1. On your new iPhone, open the Wallet app and tap the Add buttonThe add button.

  2. Tap Previous Cards and choose your transit card.

  3. Follow the steps on the screen to add your transit card to the new iPhone.6

Your previous device must be nearby and connected to the internet in order to complete the transfer to your new device. If your devices aren't near each other, you'll need to manually remove your card to transfer it to your new device.

How to remove your transit card

  1. On your iPhone, open the Wallet app.

  2. Tap your transit card.

  3. Tap the More buttonNo alt supplied for Image, then tap Card Detailsthe card details icon.

  4. Scroll down and tap Remove this Card. Tap Remove to confirm.

  1. To use Express Mode with a credit card in Wallet, you need an iPhone SE (2016) or iPhone 6s or later with iOS 12.3 or later, or an Apple Watch Series 1 or later with watchOS 5.2.1 or later.

  2. If you sign out of iCloud or turn off Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode on your iPhone or Apple Watch, all credit, debit, and transit cards are removed from that device. When you remove a transit card from any device, the remaining balance will be stored and available to be transferred to the same or another iPhone or Apple Watch that is connected to a network and signed in to iCloud with the same Apple Account.

  3. Payment cards can only be used for adult full fares. Credit cards and internationally issued Visa and Mastercard debit cards can be used with Express Transit in Wallet. Interac debit cards can be used by double-clicking on the side button on the device.

  4. A Hong Kong-issued Visa, Mastercard, or UnionPay card that you use with Apple Pay is required to purchase or top up an Octopus card in the Wallet app. If you have a credit or debit card that isn't issued in Hong Kong, use the Octopus App for Tourists app instead. A China UnionPay credit or debit card is required to purchase or top up a transit card for China mainland.

  5. In Hong Kong, your date of birth and Hong Kong ID are required for personalized Octopus cards and cards with Automatic Add Value Service (AAVS) turned on.

  6. Once transfer is complete, the previous card will remain visible in the Wallet app with an indication that the card can't be used.

Apple Pay is a service provided by certain Apple affiliates, as designated by the Apple Pay privacy notice. Neither Apple Inc. nor its affiliates are a bank. Any card used in Apple Pay is offered by the card issuer.

Published Date: