The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) has announced the expansion of its contactless payment options to Regional Rail, effective from Friday, 4 April. Following a successful rollout on Transit services, customers can now use their credit or debit cards, or mobile wallets, to tap on across all modes of transport, including trains, buses, subways, and trolleys.
“Deploying this technology systemwide is a major achievement,” said Kenneth E. Lawrence Jr., SEPTA Board Chair. “With this expansion to Regional Rail, SEPTA is the first commuter rail network in the country to accept contactless payments.”
Regional Rail riders can now simply tap any credit or debit card, whether physical or via mobile wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay, at turnstiles or platform validators. Customers must tap on and tap off, in the same way as they would with the SEPTA Key Card. Fares for contactless payments on Regional Rail are aligned with current Travel Wallet fares.
SEPTA initially launched the contactless payment technology on Transit in September 2023, generating $31 million in revenue to date from the system.
“This technology makes SEPTA more convenient for customers who may not want to plan their trips in advance, purchase a physical Key Card, or use cash to pay their fares – just tap and go,” said Scott A. Sauer, SEPTA Interim General Manager. “Increasing efficiency will help us continue to rebuild our ridership and support the major events coming to Philadelphia in 2026.”
Additionally, customers using Apple Pay on Regional Rail or Transit can benefit from Express Mode, which allows them to securely pay without needing to unlock or wake their iPhone or Apple Watch. Riders simply need to hold their device near a reader.
Validators displaying credit card icons are now equipped to accept contactless payments. SEPTA advises customers to keep their credit/debit cards, Key Card, and phone separate to ensure the correct account is charged. Currently, customers travelling to or from New Jersey cannot use contactless payments on SEPTA services, though work is ongoing to install validators at these stations.
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