N.Y. MTA adds Apple Pay, Masterpass options to mobile ticket app

Starting tomorrow morning, New York MTA Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road customers will be able to use Apple Pay and Masterpass digital wallet technology to purchase their tickets through the mobility app, MTA eTix.

Earlier this summer, Governor Cuomo announced that MTA eTix, which had been scheduled for completion by the end of 2016, would be accelerated so the riders of both railroads would be able to use the app by the end of the summer. The roll out began on June 30 with the LIRR Port Washington Branch and Metro-North Hudson Line. It then became available on Metro-North's Harlem Line on July 25 and finally became available on the rest of the LIRR and Metro-North's New Haven Line on August 22.

Apple Pay
The addition of Apple Pay to the MTA eTix app for Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road eliminates the need to type in any credit card numbers, billing info, or security codes to complete a transaction. Apple Pay users will continue to receive rewards and benefits offered by credit and debit cards.

To use Apple Pay in the MTA eTix app, a customers simply selects the ticket or pass they wish to purchase, selects "Pay with Apple Pay" and completes the payment using the Touch ID feature.

When customers use a credit or debit card with Apple Pay, the actual card numbers are not stored on the device, nor on Apple servers. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, encrypted and securely stored in the Secure Element on your device. Each transaction is authorized with a one-time unique dynamic security code. Apple Pay works with iPhone 6 and later.

Masterpass
Masterpass, a digital payment service from Mastercard, securely stores all card details, from the consumer’s chosen Mastercard or other network branded card, allowing for quick and simple payment.