Apple Pay Express Transit Coming to London 'in the Coming Months'

Apple is working closely with London's transport network (TfL) to enable Apple Pay Express Transit, a feature which allows riders to pay their fare without needing to wake or unlock their device, or authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode.

apple pay london underground

Image credit: TfL

"We are having positive discussions with Apple about enabling express transit on Apple devices on the TfL network," a TfL spokesperson said in a statement given to The Verge. "More information about timing and plans will be available at a future date."

TfL's Twitter account also noted that the company is "working closely with Apple to allow the benefits of this update to be introduced on London’s transport network in the coming months."

Users of London's transport network can already use ‌Apple Pay‌ for ride purchases at Oyster terminals and gates, but they must first authenticate with ‌Face ID‌, ‌Touch ID‌, or passcode. Express Transit would change all that with its tap-and-go system, speeding up entry into subway and train stations in the process.

‌Apple Pay‌'s Express Transit mode can be used on iPhone SE, iPhone 6s, or ‌iPhone‌ 6s Plus or later, and Apple Watch Series 1 and 2 or later. Owners of ‌iPhone‌ XS, ‌iPhone‌ XS Max, and ‌iPhone‌ XR can also use Express Transit in power reserve mode, which is available for up to five hours when an ‌iPhone‌ needs to be charged.

Apple introduced Express Transit in iOS 12.3, which was released earlier this month. London would join a handful of cities with transit systems that support the express ‌Apple Pay‌ feature, including Beijing, Shanghai, Portland, and New York City (from Friday). Express Transit also works for Suica cards in Japan.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay

Top Rated Comments

bbednarz Avatar
63 months ago
Lines of people all taking out and re-pocketing ~£1000 iPhones to walk through a bustling 'pinch' point.

Yeah, I can't see a problem with that... :/
What is the issue you see here? People commonly walk with their phones in their hands. It's no more difficult to take your phone out than it is to take out a "dumb" card.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tuckerjj Avatar
63 months ago
Congratulations, London! Welcome to NewYork City in, er, this Friday!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
idrewuk Avatar
63 months ago
Can't wait. Although I use it daily, those extra seconds without any authentication will be great.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Onelifenofear Avatar
63 months ago
So just allowing the use of the nfc chip without authentication for tubes etc.

So as I understand it even if the phone is dead - charge icon on screen ... you can still use this for 5 hours - that is cool
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
heov Avatar
63 months ago
That picture credited to TfL is from NYC.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KarimLeVallois Avatar
63 months ago
Roll on the day that I can put my Oyster Annual Season Ticket in the Wallet app and not have to carry that around with me...
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
iPhone Home Screen Gradient Blank Spaces 1

Sources: iOS 18 Lets Apps Be Placed Anywhere on Home Screen Grid

Sunday March 24, 2024 1:33 pm PDT by
iOS 18 will give iPhone users greater control over Home Screen app icon arrangement, according to sources familiar with the matter. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, to ensure there is some uniformity, our sources say that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18. For example, we expect that the update will introduce...
iPad Pro 2024 Landscape Camera Feature

New iPad Pro Again Rumored to Feature Landscape Front-Facing Camera

Monday March 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
The next-generation iPad Pro will feature a landscape-oriented front-facing camera for the first time, according to the Apple leaker known as "Instant Digital." Instant Digital reiterated the design change earlier today on Weibo with a simple accompanying 2D image. The post reveals that the entire TrueDepth camera array will move to the right side of the device, while the microphone will...
sonoma desktop wwdc

Apple Releases macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 With Fix for USB Hub Bug

Monday March 25, 2024 10:10 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sonoma 14.4.1, a minor update for the macOS Sonoma operating system that launched last September. macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 comes three weeks after macOS Sonoma 14.4. The ‌‌‌‌macOS Sonoma‌‌ 14.4‌.1 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings. There's also a macOS 13.6.6 release for those who...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18 Will Finally Bring This Android Feature to iPhone

Monday March 25, 2024 6:42 am PDT by
iOS 18 will allow iPhone users to place app icons anywhere on the Home Screen grid, according to sources familiar with development of the software update. This basic feature has long been available on Android smartphones. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, our sources said that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18....
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
iphone reasons to upgrade

Apple Outlines 'Reasons to Upgrade' Your iPhone on New Website

Monday March 25, 2024 12:53 pm PDT by
Apple today added a "Why Upgrade" section to its website, which is aimed at encouraging customers with older iPhones to upgrade to a newer model. The website allows customers to compare the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max to the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max. Each comparison shows what new features someone with an older...