Tap to Pay
How It Works
Riders can pay for transit with most contactless-enabled credit or debit cards with a contactless symbol, or with digital credit or debit cards via Apple Pay™, Google Pay™ or Samsung Pay™, by tapping their cards or smart devices on ORCA card readers.
ORCA cards will still be issued and accepted across the region on buses, trains, and ferries. ORCA cards continue to provide the most cost-effective, convenient benefits for many riders across the region, especially those enrolled in free or reduced fare programs such as ORCA LIFT, Senior RRFP, Disabled RRFP, Youth, and those with employer or organization sponsored ORCA cards.
ORCA cards may remain the best option for many, but this enhancement to the ORCA Product suite makes riding transit easier than ever for all types of riders.
Learn more at info.myORCA.com/contactless
Contactless Payments Are Not Accepted On:
- •Pierce Transit SHUTTLE, Pierce Transit Runner
- •Seattle Monorail
- •Washington State Ferries
- •King County Metro DART, Community Vans, Metro Flex
- •Community Transit DART, Zip Shuttle
- •Everett Transit Paratransit
Some of these services may offer other ways to pay using contactless payments outside of the ORCA system. Tap to Pay will soon be available on Kitsap Transit Fast Ferries and Foot Ferries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, riders paying with contactless credit or debit cards are charged an adult fare and will still receive the ORCA 2-hour transfer window benefit, allowing for seamless transfers across Puget Sound, as they do today.
No, riders cannot receive discounts (Senior, Youth, ORCA LIFT, Disabled) or passes. Riders with ORCA cards that receive discounts are encouraged to keep tapping their existing ORCA cards.
No, customers will not be able to pay for multiple riders or groups using one card or device. Every rider will need their own payment method.
Cards need to be tapped directly on the ORCA card readers. Riders should remove physical cards from their wallets before tapping to avoid unwanted charges on other cards or tap failures.
If you have both an ORCA card and a credit or debit card in Google Wallet™, the card reader should default to charging your digital ORCA card when tapped. If you wish to use a digital credit or debit card, select that form of payment on your smart device before tapping.
Yes, for Apple Pay users with Express Mode enabled, riders can simply hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near a card reader to ride transit across the Puget Sound Region — without having to unlock or wake up their device. And with power reserve, if their iPhone needs to be charged, they can still use it to ride transit.
