Goodbye, SEPTA Key? Riders can "tap to pay" for almost all rides starting Friday
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- If you're trying to ride SEPTA without cash, you may not need your SEPTA Key card any longer.
Starting Friday, SEPTA is rolling out tap-to-pay technology on all city and suburban buses and trolleys along with the Market-Frankford and Broad Street Line trains, and the Norristown High Speed Line.
You "will be able to simply tap any credit/debit card, in physical form or through apps like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay, at a turnstile, or as they board a bus or trolley," SEPTA said in a statement.
"We encourage all of the riders to give contactless payment a try as we roll it out," SEPTA General Manager Leslie Richards said at a news conference. "You are going to be pleasantly surprised at how easy this is to use."
The tech is not available on Regional Rail lines but that will be rolled out in about a year.
Even if you're going to start using Apple Pay or something similar for your SEPTA rides, you may still want to hold on to your Key card, because it does offer you some perks, like free Chickie's & Pete's Crabfries or discounts at the Philadelphia Zoo.
