Parisians riding on public transit can now use the Metro Smart Navigo digital cards on their iPhone or Apple Watch to buy metro passes with Apple Pay.
The integration lets you buy a weekly or monthly pass within the Navigo app using Apple Pay. The digital pass can then be scanned at gates that feature a contactless NFC terminal. Keep in mind that you cannot add your Navigo card to the Wallet app as of yet.
No you can't ! @IDFmobilites, the transport authority has launched an app that can't read 2nd generation passes. It is therefore obsolete for some of us…stil ! @ProbstLaurent #ParisTransport
— Sanjay d'Humières (@RTCX_io) (@sanjaydhumieres) January 13, 2021
The implementation is considerably more onerous than Apple Pay-based solutions in other cities. For example, in London, commuters are able to pass through gates with Apple Pay directly, without the need to purchase a ticket ahead of time or keep an app open. Nevertheless, the update to Navigo allows users to roam Parisian public transport with just an iPhone.
The news was first spotted by the French blog iGeneration.fr.
The Smart Navigo card is supported on bus lines and the rail system in the Paris metro area.
According to an earlier report from the La Parisien, Apple is trying to work out an agreement with France’s transport authority that would permit users to actually add their Smart Navigo card to the Wallet app on their iPhone. The card would then be available for paying fares without having to take an iPhone out of one’s pocket, thanks to Apple’s Express Transit feature.