Add this issuer to your watchlist to get alerts about important updates.
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA, Metro) has launched a new, faster, and easier way to pay fares called “Tap. Ride. Go.” Customers can now simply tap a contactless credit or debit card with the contactless or mobile wallet/smartwatch virtual cards on rail station fare gates to pay for fares. SmarTrip cards (physical and mobile) will continue to be an option to pay for fares and parking.
Metro has been working on the “Tap. Ride. Go.” program since late last year. “Tap. Ride. Go.” will be available for use on Metrobuses and at Metro parking facilities in the future. Free transfers from rail to bus will not be available until “Tap. Ride. Go.” launches on Metrobus fareboxes in the future.
The new way to pay will greatly benefit tourists and occasional customers who want to avoid fare machines and SmarTrip cards altogether. Any customer can use their contactless credit or debit card to pay at the fare gates, however those who have fare discounts or SmartBenefits will still have to use their designated SmarTrip cards. The customers can simply tap in at a faregate with a contactless credit or debit card and tap out with the same card to pay for their fares. Customers must use the same card to tap in and tap out of the system. Each customer needs their own card. The same card cannot be used for multiple people on the same trip.
“Tap. Ride. Go.” was launched with help from contractors Littlepay (software overlay), Cubic (tap target readers), STraffic (faregates). Metro’s premier credit and debit card partners, Mastercard and FutureCard, helped launch and promote “Tap. Ride. Go.”
