Commuters in New York now have a new way to pay for their ride. As announced by New York governor Andrew Cuomo, the MTA eTix app now supports Apple Pay. This means that commuters can now easily and securely purchase tickets for New York City’s Long Island Railroad and Metro-North Railroad trains.
Apple Pay vice president Jennifer Bailey commented on the rollout, noting that the commute is now a lot easier for New Yorkers. “The New York commute just got that much easier thanks to Apple Pay in the MTA eTix app. Now you can skip the line entirely to buy train tickets right on your iPhone,” she said in a statement.
With the MTA eTix app, which is free on the App Store, users no longer need to wait in line to purchase tickets. Rather, they can quickly purchase a ticket via their iOS device and skip the line. The ticket will activate before boarding the train.
MTA’s Long Island Railroad and Metro-North Railroad are the two busiest commuter trains in North America. The Long Island Railroad has an average weekday rider cargo of 300,000 passengers, running between Manhattan and Suffolk County. The Metro-North Railroad has an average weekday ridership of around 285,000 people, operating between Manhattan and upstate New York.
MTA eTix is available on the App Store now.
Apple Pay and Masterpass Added to Mobile Ticketing App, Offering Easy, Secure & Fast Ways to Pay
PURCHASE, N.Y. –October 4, 2016 – Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the addition of Apple Pay and Masterpass digital wallet technology to MTA eTix, the mobile ticketing app that enables Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road customers to purchase their tickets anywhere, anytime. Starting tomorrow morning, customers of these services will be able to use both services to purchase one way, round trip, ten trip, weekly, CityTickets — as well and monthly passes —through MTA eTix.
“We have worked tirelessly to rebuild and reimagine New York’s transit system for the 21st century and a key part of those efforts is to incorporate the amenities that modern day riders demand,” Governor Cuomo said. “By adding the use of cutting edge technology like Apple Pay and Masterpass, we are not only making mass transit easier to use, but are also improving the overall experience of riders.”
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.
MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas F. Prendergast said, “We’re pleased to welcome both Apple Pay and Masterpass to the eTix experience. We believe that the addition of these secure payment options will help us to do an even better job of meeting the needs of our customers, and we look forward to further building the user-base for the app in the weeks and months ahead.”
Apple Pay
The addition of Apple Pay to the MTA eTix app for Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road provides a convenient option that eliminates the need to type in any credit card numbers, billing info, or security codes to complete a transaction. Apple Pay is easy to set up and users will continue to receive all of the 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.
Security and privacy are important Apple Pay features. 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 Vice President Jennifer Bailey said, “The New York commute just got that much easier thanks to Apple Pay in the MTA eTix app. Now you can skip the line entirely to buy train tickets right on your iPhone.”
Apple Pay works with iPhone 6 and later. For more information on Apple Pay, visit: http://www.apple.com/apple-pay/.
Masterpass
Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road riders can now choose Masterpass as a payment option within the MTA eTix app on any iOS or Android device. Masterpass securely stores all card details, from the consumer’s chosen Mastercard or other network branded card, allowing for quick and simple payment.
Masterpass, a digital payment service from Mastercard that enables consumers to look no further than their own trusted bank to make fast, simple and secure digital payments – across devices and channels – anywhere they want to shop: online, in-app, and in-store using contactless technology. Masterpass helps make the process of buying a ticket with MTA eTix easier than ever, and leverages the most advanced methods of payment security available today.
For more information on Masterpass, visit www.masterpass.com.
Mastercard North America President Craig Vosburg said, “Mastercard is working with the world’s leading cities and industry partners to remove the friction that slows down how people move around them. The integration of Masterpass into the MTA eTix app is a tremendous showcase of progress on this commitment as we look to build out a seamless user experience for commuters in New York. In today’s fast-paced, always connected world, people expect to have access to payment solutions that deliver a simple and secure experience and this collaboration truly delivers on that.”
About MTA eTix
MTA eTix empowers LIRR and Metro-North customers to board using their smartphone instead of a paper ticket, as well as check schedules and see train service status, which interconnects with the popular Train Time apps for Metro-North and the LIRR. The app also offers account management tools, giving railroad customers the ability to secure refunds for unused mobile tickets, request duplicate receipts, and manage profile info such as password and linked credit card numbers. More information about the app is available at http://www.mta.info/mta-eTix.
Individuals interested in accessing MTA eTix can do so at the links below:
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