Was the first public transport provider to accept contactless payment cards and will continue this record of innovation by becoming the first to accept Apple Pay.
Transport for London (TfL) confirmed Apple Pay can be used on London's public transport system when it launches in the UK next month.
TfL was the first public transport provider to accept contactless payment cards and will continue this record of innovation by becoming the first to accept Apple Pay. TfL developed the contactless technology needed to travel on its services in-house and is leading the way with over 100 million contactless journeys made on its services since it launched in September 2014.
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One in 10 contactless transactions in the UK are made on TfL's network, making TfL one of the largest contactless merchants worldwide and over four million unique credit or debit cards have been used on TfL services so far. More than 1.2 million contactless transactions are made each day on TfL services — representing 17% of pay as you go journeys. This high level of take up continues to drive the use of contactless elsewhere in the retail, food and leisure industry.
TfL’s Oyster smart card system will continue to be available, with contactless payments being another option that lets customers travel without the need to top-up their Oyster credit. The next part of the agency's plans to revolutionize ticketing concentrate on how the benefits of contactless can be brought to Oyster, to ensure all customers experience the same convenience.
The region’s fixed-route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides. Adding 12.3 million rides over 2024 represents an increase that is equal to the annual transit ridership of Kansas City.
The service is a flexible, reservation-based transit service designed to close the first- and last-mile gaps and connect riders to employment for just $5 per day.
The upgraded system, which went live earlier this month, supports METRO’s METRONow vision to enhance the customer experience, improve service reliability, and strengthen long-term regional mobility.
The agreement provides competitive wages and reflects strong labor-management collaboration, positive working relationships, and a shared commitment to building a world-class transit system for the community, said RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins.
The priorities are outlined in the 2026 Board and CEO Initiatives and Action Plan, which serves as a roadmap to guide the agency’s work throughout the year and ensure continued progress and accountability on voter-approved transportation investments and essential mobility services.
