SEPTA Regional Rail Lines Now Accepting Contactless Payment

PHILADELPHIA — SEPTA has launched contactless payment on its Regional Rail lines, offering travelers a convenient method for paying transit fares.

With the new contactless payment option on all Regional Rail lines, SEPTA customers can now tap to pay on trains, buses, subways, and trolleys.

Regional Rail riders can now simply tap any payment cards or digital wallets at a turnstile or platform validator. Customers must tap on and tap off, just like the SEPTA Key Card. Regional Rail contactless fares are the same as the current Travel Wallet fares.

This new feature accommodates credit cards, debit cards, and mobile wallets, such as Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Customers paying for Regional Rail or Transit with Apple Pay can also use Express Mode. With Express Mode, riders do not need to wake or unlock their iPhone or Apple Watch to ride on SEPTA – just hold the device near a reader to securely pay with Apple Pay.

Any validator with credit card icons displayed on the screen is ready to accept contactless payments.

Customers are encouraged to separate their credit/debit cards, Key Card, and phone to ensure the correct account is charged.

"Deploying this technology systemwide is a major achievement," SEPTA Board Chair Kenneth E. Lawrence Jr. "With this expansion to Regional Rail, SEPTA is the first commuter rail network in the country to accept contactless payments."

SEPTA launched contactless payment technology on Transit in September 2023, and since then, SEPTA has generated $31 million in revenue from contactless payments.

"This technology makes SEPTA more convenient for customers who may not want to plan their trips in advance, purchase a physical Key Card, or use cash to pay their fares – just tap and go," SEPTA Interim General Manager Scott A. Sauer said. "Increasing efficiency will help us continue to rebuild our ridership and support the major events coming to Philadelphia in 2026."

Customers traveling to or from New Jersey on SEPTA cannot use contactless payments at this time. However, SEPTA is working to install validators at these stations.