Support for Apple Pay's Express Mode has this week been added to the Bee Network in Greater Manchester, enabling passengers to pay for bus and tram travel without unlocking their iPhone or Apple Watch.
The new functionality marks the first time a UK integrated public transport system outside London has implemented Express Mode. According to Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), the launch builds on the network's rollout of contactless "tap and go" earlier this year, which has already led to more than one million contactless journeys per week.
Apple Pay's Express Mode was first introduced in London in 2019, allowing iPhone and Apple Watch owners to pass through Transport for London turnstiles with a single tap. The feature is designed primarily for public transit systems, enabling rapid contactless transactions that bypass the biometric or passcode requirement that normally accompanies Apple Pay. The feature also supports iPhone's Power Reserve mode, meaning transactions can still be made for several hours even if the device battery is critically low.
Users can select a debit or credit card in the Apple Wallet app as their default transit card under "Express Travel Settings." Once enabled, payment requires only holding the device near a card reader. For most users, the default payment card already selected in Apple Wallet will automatically be assigned to Express Mode, though this can be changed at any time in Settings.
Express Mode is already supported in cities around the world, including London, New York, Beijing, Tokyo, and Sydney.
