Paris Metro Navigo Cards Now Supported on iPhone

by

Navigo cards for travelling on the Paris metro and bus network are now supported on iPhone, with the ability to "recharge" passes using Apple Pay (via iGeneration).

smart navigo card paris scan

Last week, it was rumored that Apple had reached an agreement for Navigo cards to work with NFC on ‌iPhone‌, and now the feature has arrived with the latest update to the Navigo app from Paris's transport authority, Ile-de-France Mobilités.

Users can now buy a ticket within the app using ‌Apple Pay‌ and then add it to their physical Navigo card by scanning it on the back of the ‌iPhone‌. Contrary to previous reports, Navigo is still unable to be added to Wallet or used digitally.

The implementation is considerably more onerous than Apple Pay-based solutions in other cities. For example, in London, commuters are able to pass through gates with ‌Apple Pay‌ directly, without the need to purchase a ticket ahead of time or recharge a physical card. Nevertheless, the update to Navigo allows users to buy digital tickets to roam Parisian public transport with ‌Apple Pay‌, avoiding the need to recharge at a dedicated machine.

Navigo, the city's digital mobile transit card, was launched in September 2019, but its success was mired by the need for direct secure authentication with reader gates. This is also why ‌Apple Pay‌ cannot currently be implemented to pay for travel directly on gate readers, since it would skirt the Navigo system.

There have been reports that the need for secure authentication with Navigo will be eliminated at some point in 2021, allowing ‌‌Apple Pay‌‌ to be used directly to traverse the public transport network as it does other cities such as New York, which recently completed its rollout of ‌‌Apple Pay‌‌ support.

Navigo on ‌iPhone‌ is supported on ‌iPhone‌ 7 and newer, but it does not yet work with ‌iPhone‌ XR, ‌iPhone‌ XS and ‌iPhone‌ XS Max.

Tag: France

Popular Stories

Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
Read Full Article • 41 comments
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
Read Full Article • 27 comments
hikawa phone grip stand apple%402x

Apple Launches Second Limited-Edition iPhone Accessory in a Month

Friday November 21, 2025 3:53 am PST by
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind. Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe. Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
Read Full Article • 126 comments
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Wednesday November 19, 2025 4:00 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Read Full Article • 104 comments
ipad black friday 2025

The Best Early Black Friday iPad Deals

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:20 am PST by
Black Friday is just over a week away, and iPad deals have finally started to flood in at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Below we're tracking discounts on every current generation iPad, including lowest-ever prices on M3 iPad Air and M5 iPad Pro, plus steep markdowns on iPad and iPad mini. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a ...
Read Full Article • 7 comments
watchos 26 workout app

Apple Watch Users Claim Workout App Is Now Worse in Every Way

Thursday November 20, 2025 7:01 am PST by
Apple Watch owners have been voicing their frustration online over changes to the Workout app that Apple introduced in watchOS 26, with many finding the redesigned interface makes starting exercises difficult and exasperating. When Apple launched watchOS 26 in September, the Workout app went from large, easily tapped workout tiles to a scrolling, corner-button interface. Instead of tapping a ...
Read Full Article • 229 comments
ipad mini 7 feature red and blue

iPad Mini 8: Four Major New Features to Expect

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:50 am PST by
Apple's eighth-generation iPad mini is highly likely to arrive next year, offering a significant refresh of the device with at least four major new features. OLED Display The next-generation version of the iPad mini could feature an OLED display, as part of Apple's plan to expand the display technology across many more of its devices. Apple's first OLED device was the Apple Watch in 2015, ...
Read Full Article • 67 comments
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Two More U.S. States Commit to Offering iPhone Driver's Licenses in Apple Wallet App

Thursday November 20, 2025 8:21 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Earlier this week, Illinois became the 13th state in the U.S. to offer the feature. Subsequently, we shared a list of additional states that are committed...
Read Full Article • 38 comments
android iphone airdrop quickshare

iPhone Users Can Now AirDrop Files to Android Devices

Thursday November 20, 2025 9:47 am PST by
Google today announced a new cross-platform feature that allows for file sharing between iPhone and Android users. With AirDrop on the iPhone and QuickShare on Pixel 10 devices, there is a new file transfer function available. The file sharing option works on Apple devices that include iPhone, iPad, and Mac, along with the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Fold....
Read Full Article • 124 comments

Top Rated Comments

Futurix Avatar
Futurix
63 months ago
This article seems to be completely wrong - the new feature added to the app is the ability to 'recharge' the Navigo passes (physical cards) with your iPhone. You have to put the card on the back of your phone, pay with Apple Pay for a new season ticket, and it will update the card (via NFC).
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
br403 Avatar
br403
63 months ago

Apple still won’t allow Oyster style cards in the Wallet? Apple Pay is okay for random trips but if you need a travel card because of a discount then you still need to use a physical card.
It is allowed, you can use suica cards in Japan, Octopus in Hong Kong and other examples. Here is a list: Where you can ride transit with Apple Pay - Apple Support ('https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207958')
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dontwalkhand Avatar
dontwalkhand
63 months ago

Apple still won’t allow Oyster style cards in the Wallet? Apple Pay is okay for random trips but if you need a travel card because of a discount then you still need to use a physical card.
They do, its up to the transit agency and their equipment manufacturer. So far all cities with Cubic Transportation equipment are getting it, with the exception being London, who seems to be in favor of phasing out Oyster instead, maybe?. The manufacturer themselves have to work with Apple before offering the ability for Apple integration to the transit agencies. Conduent has been working with Apple for quite some time to try to get the SEPTA Key and NJ Transit passes to Apple Wallet....Paris' NAVIGO is also a Conduent system. So once Conduent does their thing with Apple, I am sure Paris will enable it as soon as possible.

See: Hong Kong (Octopus - Vix Technology), Japan (Suica - Proprietary Sony FeLiCa readers, Vix Technology Back of House), Chicago (Ventra - Cubic Transportation), Portland (HOP FastPass - INIT), LA (TAP -Cubic Transportation), and Washington DC (SmarTrip - Cubic Transportation).

Coming Soon:

Phoenix (PlatinumPass - Scheidt & Bachmann, migrating to Vix Technology)
Seattle (ORCA - Vix Technology)
San Francisco (Clipper - Cubic Transportation)
New York (OMNY - Cubic Transportation, enabled with regular credit card Apple Pay now, physical OMNY card and virtual OMNY card coming soon)
Melbourne (MyKi - Vix Technology)
Sydney (Opal - Cubic Transportation)
London (Oyster - Cubic Transportation)
San Diego (CompassCard - Cubic Transportation, migrating to INIT)
Toronto (PRESTO - Scheidt & Bachmann)
Boston (CharlieCard - Scheidt & Bachmann)
Berlin (Schedit & Bachmann)
Amsterdam (OV ChipKaart - Scheidt and Bachmann, Migrating to Vix Technology)
NJTransit (Conduent)
Philadelphia (SEPTA Key- Conduent)
Paris (NAVIGO - Conduent)

NAVIGO is Conduent, so its a matter of time....

As you can tell, there are about five major players in this game, it won't be that hard. Cubic, the biggest one in the room, Scheidt & Bachmann, Conduent, Init, & Vix Technology.

Source: Many friends in the fare collection system industry.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dz5b609 Avatar
dz5b609
63 months ago

Users can now buy a Navigo pass within the app using ‌Apple Pay‌ and then scan their digital ticket at gates via NFC. Contrary to previous reports ('https://www.macrumors.com/2021/01/06/apple-to-support-paris-metro-navigo-cards/'), Navigo is still unable to be added to Wallet. This means that users must keep the app open in order to scan their ticket.
Unless I'm missing something this seems to be entirely wrong, the app now allows you to 'charge' your physical card with a ticket or subscription via reverse NFC payable with Apple Pay (with no Apple tax, which is weird). So you still need a physical Navigo card. The only thing is that you don't need to go to a machine to load something on your Navigo card but can use your phone which is some added convenience.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SumYoungGai Avatar
SumYoungGai
63 months ago

Do you think nobody lives in Paris?
the only country that exists in the world is the United States, clearly
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lah Avatar
lah
63 months ago

From Wikipedia: "Cards are available either attached to an account for those who live or work in the Île-de-France region (known simply as Carte Navigo), or can be issued on the spot to anyone at a station (Carte Navigo Découverte). The Navigo card bear the name and a photograph of the holder."

So you can't anonymously take public transportation in Paris?
The cards with pictures on them are the annual subscriptions that give you unlimited rides on the network. It’s a way to control it since they don’t want people abusing it (Sharing with others). And yes, they do random checks on the metro.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments