No ORCA card? Other cards to be accepted for transit starting Monday

Starting Monday (February 23), you’ll be able to use more than just an ORCA card on most regional transit services if you want to “tap to pay.” Here’s the announcement we received today:

On February 23, ORCA is launching a new Tap to Pay feature allowing riders to use credit and debit cards, and digital wallets, to pay for transit across the Puget Sound region.

Riders can simply tap their contactless Visa, Mastercard, Discover® Network, or American Express credit or debit cards, or cards in digital wallets, using Apple Pay™, Google Pay™, or Samsung Pay™ to ride. This new feature expands access to public transportation and supports seamless travel experiences for both daily riders and visitors alike.

This new feature also comes as Seattle and the Puget Sound region prepare to host several large events in 2026. With many international visitors expected to travel across the region, Tap to Pay simplifies transit and aligns with global expectations for convenient payment options. …

How the new Tap to Pay feature 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.

Contactless payments through ORCA are not accepted on:

Seattle Monorail
Washington State Ferries
King County Metro DART, Community Vans, Metro Flex
Community Transit DART, Zip Shuttle
Pierce Transit SHUTTLE, Pierce Transit Runner
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, Foot Ferries, and King County Water Taxi.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Riders who tap with a contactless payment method may be subject to fare inspection on some services. Fare inspectors will not scan credit or debit cards; however, they will ask Tap to Pay riders to share the last 4 digits of their card number to confirm fare was paid. This allows fare inspectors to input the last 4 digits of the card used to confirm that the fare transaction occurred. More information on how fare inspection will work can be found here: https://info.myorca.com/contactless/#fareinspection

ORCA cards 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

bolo February 19, 2026 (4:24 pm)

Just in time for the world cup fans arriving here in a few months!

junctioneer February 19, 2026 (4:38 pm)

Wow!! Tap to pay has been “coming soon” for what, a decade? I am very curious what happened to this project for the past 10 years. Nothing like a World Cup to force it to the finish line.

Bradley February 19, 2026 (9:25 pm)

And Transit Go??

West Seattle Mad Sci Guy February 19, 2026 (9:56 pm)

The last four digit thing is … complicated. Tap to pay can sometimes use a virtual card number if you set it up that way. The user might not know how to view that number. Also what if you tap at a rapid ride bus stop instead of the vehicle? There are lots of riders system wide and if they are just verifying that someone with those last four digits tagged in the last two hours somewhere in the whole regional transit system those 9999 numbers are just going to just incidentally match someone who tagged somewhere. Most don’t know the last four digits. If you are using your iPhone in dead battery mode and you don’t have the card handy or memorized… I get that it’s just a current limitation and they’ll hopefully eventually be able to check an actual tap to pay card. It’s just. Weird… (My nickname used to be technical difficulties because I like to think about odd situations haha)

CW February 20, 2026 (6:51 am)

Appreciate the what-ifs!!
John February 20, 2026 (5:14 pm)

If you tap to ride using a credit or debit card, fare inspection staff will ask you to share the last 4 digits of your card number during fare inspection. In some scenarios, you also may be asked to share the first 6 digits of your card number. This information allows fare inspection staff to confirm that you have paid your fare for your trip.From:https://info.myorca.com/contactless/

aRF February 20, 2026 (8:12 am)

I’m just back from using NYC’s new touch to pay for the subway. It worked well. iPhone users need to go to the Wallet/Express Transit Card setting and enable a card for transit payments (obliquely referred to as Express Mode in the above directions). Transit payments will show up in the “Latest Transactions” list beneath that particular card.

Admiral2009 February 20, 2026 (1:45 pm)

What is the point, Metro and ST fare evasion is rampant with little to no enforcement/consequences? Maybe with the new payment method fare enforcement/consequences can be made to truly reduce fare evasion.

K February 21, 2026 (5:41 am)

While I agree with you that public transit should be free to all, all the time, this provides another payment option for those who do use cash fares, and will be especially helpful for out-of-town visitors.

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