Finally, I can use my iPhone to take the New York subway



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Before we get started, let's talk about the Express Transit setup process, the Apple Pay feature. When you access the "Wallet and Apple Pay" settings on your iPhone, you now see an option called Express Shipping Card. After tapping on it, you must select a credit or debit card, which will be used as the default payment for your transit trips. I already have some cards in reserve on my iPhone to be able to use them with Apple Pay. So I only had to pick one. Then, after a quick authentication of the face identity, I was ready to leave. The whole process took less than a minute.

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Once at the subway station, I just put my iPhone next to the OMNY player on the turnstile, then the screen displays a message saying "GO". I did not need to open an app or unlock my phone to access it. The same goes for Apple Watch and Android phones. with Google Pay that I've tested. The fact that I did not have to slip my old MetroCard to try to catch a train was very satisfying. Not only because it looks futuristic, but because it means that I do not need to go to a vending machine to fill my card, nor worry about it. his loss or his flight.

Unfortunately, at present, the OMNY system only works for single-rate trips, but the MTA says that by the end of 2020, all types of fares will be supported, including weekly and monthly subscriptions. The other disadvantage for the moment, of course, is that you can not use it in any subway station or on any bus line. At the launch, OMNY only operates at 16 subway lines 4, 5 and 6 between Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center (Brooklyn) and Grand Central-42nd Street (Manhattan), as well as on all Staten Island buses. An MTA spokesman told Engadget that more stations and buses will be overhauled by the end of 2019.

The launch of OMNY today is just the beginning of the MTA's plan to replace the use of the plug-in MetroCard, a system in place since 1993. From here 2023. And if you do not have Apple Pay or Google Pay, do not worry: the MTA is adamant about the fact that it's "platform independent", you So you can also use services like Samsung Pay and Fitbit Pay. In addition, in 2021, the MTA plans to launch its own OMNY brand contactless transit card, in case New York residents prefer not to use the technologies of Apple, Google, etc.

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