SmarTrip card has officially launched on Android devices for touch-free payment at the D.C. area’s Metro transit system. This comes nearly nine months after the transit agency launched the app and payment system for iPhones.
Starting Tuesday, SmarTrip users with Android devices can ride trains and buses by pairing their cards to Google Pay and holding their devices near a card reader at any location where the physical card is accepted, including fare gates in stations, buses and parking lots.
“As the region reopens, everyone can go contactless and use their phones to ride on Metro,” Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld said Monday.
“Today people have the convenience of paying for just about anything by using their phones. And now paying for a ride on Metro is just as easy as buying a cup of coffee.”
Learn how to transfer your existing card to your Android phone:
Riders can add an existing SmarTrip card to their Google Pay app or purchase a new one.
According to Metro, 93% of riders either use an iPhone or Android phones. Wiedefeld said a large proportion of Metrobus riders use Android phones.
Metro said it will also waive the $2 fee for a SmarTrip card for all Android users who purchase a virtual card during the first six months.
Learn how to add value to your pass right on your phone:
