In more and more countries you can pay public transport using your iPhone or Apple Watch. You can easily add the public transport card to your wallet and check in and out with it. For example, you can use the entire public transport network in Japan with just one pass, handy!
Adding an OV card cannot yet support the Wallet app from Apple in all countries. For example, in the Netherlands you can use and pay OV-Pay via your payment card, but an OV card is not yet supported. We explain in which cities and countries you can use the Express OV card.
Express OV card in short
With the help of an Express OV card you can easily pay trips in public transport using your iPhone or Apple Watch. Easily add a digital ticket to your Apple wallet. In most cases you can upgrade this public transport card using Apple Pay, you can then use the credit in the public transport of that country or city.
You can view your balance and paid journeys via a handy overview. Thanks to the Express function you can immediately check in and out with your iPhone or Apple Watch, without having to unlock it or open an OV card.
Difference between Apple Pay and OV card
In public transport you can pay in two ways using the Wallet app for iPhone or Apple Watch. This way you can pay directly using Apple Pay (payment card) or you can set a public transport card. You can top up the latter manually. Click here For an overview of all locations where you can use Apple Pay in public transport.
Locations that support public transport card
Unfortunately you cannot yet use Apple’s Express OV card in all countries and cities. Below you will find an overview where you can use the public transport card. On the Website of Apple You can see where you can use (payment) cards in public transport.
- Japan: Suica, Pasmo or Icoca card
- Hong Kong: Octopus card
- China: T-Union, Beijing Transit or Shanghai Transit card or maps for specific regions
- France: Navigo card (Paris)
- Canada: Presto (Toronto)
- US: Clipper (San Francisco Bay Area), Smartrip (Washington, DC) and Tap (Los Angeles)
Pairing public transport card to Wallet
Do you want to link a public transport card to your wallet? Then you can follow the steps below. In our example we use Suica, an public transport card for Japan. With this you can use public transport throughout Japan and even pay in most supermarketsshops and vending machines.
- Open the wallet app for iPhone
- Tap the plus button
- Choose ‘Public Public Prosecution Service’
- Search the list for the desired public transport card, for example ‘Suica’
- Tap ‘go on’
- Choose an amount and tap ‘Add to’
- Agree with the conditions
- Pay with Apple Pay
The public transport card is automatically added to your wallet and you can use it immediately on your trip. In Japan it is also possible to add an existing Suica card to your wallet. To do this, go to Wallet â–¸ Plus button â–¸ Public transport card â–¸ Suica â–¸ Transfer existing card.
Some public transport cards can only be added if you have added a local payment method to Wallet. For example, in Japan only Suica can be paid with a foreign credit card (Apple Pay), the others require a Japanese payment method. When setting up an OV card, it is checked whether you can make the payment.
Use public transport card
If you have set an OV card, you can use it very easily. It is advisable to activate the Express mode for this card.
Express mode for Apple Wallet
With the Express mode you can automatically use some cards in Apple Wallet without removing or unlocking your device. You also do not have to confirm with Face ID, Touch ID or your access code to use the card. This allows you to quickly check in in public transport.
- Open Settings on your iPhone
- Navigate to Wallet and Apple Pay
- Tap ‘Express-OV card’
- Select a desired payment or transport card
- Confirm with Face ID, Touch ID or your access code
On your Apple Watch you can possibly select a different public transport card or payment card for use in the Express-OV mode. Open the Apple Watch app on the iPhone. Tap the ‘My Watch’ tab on ‘Wallet and Apple Pay’. Then tap ‘Express-OV card’, select an OV card or payment card and authentic with your access code on the Apple Watch.
Check in and out with OV card
Once you have activated the Express mode, you can use the selected map super fast in public transport. It is then sufficient to hold your iPhone or Apple Watch against the check -in column in the designated place. The access gate or column will trigger the NFC chip in the device and thus activate the card. You will then be checked in automatically. Repeat this to check out.
Do you not want to use the Express mode? Then you first have to open the Wallet app on your iPhone or Apple Watch, open the public transport card and then hold against the check-in column.
Top up the OV card
Is the balance of your public transport card too low? Then you can easily top up it.
- Open the Wallet app
- Go to the OV card and open it
- Tap ‘Add balance’
- Enter the desired amount
- Tap ‘Add’ and pay with Apple Pay
View transactions
The Public Public Prosecution Service in Wallet works SuperLim. As soon as you check in, you will see your current balance on the access screen of your iPhone and the amount is debited when checking out. Then you see how expensive the ride was and you will see the remaining balance. The recent transactions can also be viewed in the Wallet app after you have opened the OV card.
View ride prize in tickets
If you use an OV card with balance, it is of course good to know how expensive a ride is. In all cities or countries where you can use the public transport card, it is possible to view the ride price in the Apple map app.
- Open cards
- Enter the final destination at ‘Search in Tickets’
- Tap on ‘route’, possibly adjust the starting point
- Select the public transport option (metro symbol)
You can then view the differences routes with ride price. Moreover, cards also show whether you still have enough balance on your public transport card for this ride. If not? Then you can immediately upgrade from the card app.