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2h ago

BART Launches Tap and Ride for Contactless Credit and Debit Card Fares

Only full adult fares apply with bank cards, requiring discounted riders to continue using Clipper.

The fare gates at the Coliseum BART station are seen in Oakland. Starting Wednesday, BART riders can tap credit cards or phones at fare gates in addition to using Clipper cards.
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Starting Wednesday, BART riders can tap credit cards or phones at fare gates in addition to using Clipper cards.
BART unvelied its new Tap and Ride fare system Tuesday. (Aug. 19, 2025)

Overview

  • Starting Wednesday, Aug. 20, riders can tap Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, or mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay at BART fare gates.
  • Passengers must use the same payment method to enter and exit, with officials cautioning against “card clash” by tapping only one card or setting a wallet default.
  • Open payments charge the standard adult fare, so youths, seniors, people with disabilities, low‑income riders, and BayPass holders must use Clipper for discounts.
  • Employer commuter benefits loaded to Clipper are not supported on Tap and Ride at launch.
  • The rollout is limited to BART, with wider adoption by other Bay Area agencies expected later but without a set timeline as part of the long-delayed Clipper 2.0 upgrade.