Google Wallet already offers a set of nifty features that makes paying for transportation while commuting. Starting today, Google Wallet users in select cities will benefit from even more perks that will help them keep track of their expenditures every time they’re commuting.
According to Google, 9 out of 10 public transit riders say they expect transit agencies to offer contactless options as a form of payment. To respond to this increasing request from commuters, transit agencies are adopting an “open-loop payment system,” which basically means that people can use any payment card in their physical or digital wallet to pay for transit fare.
This open-loop payment system is already available for commuters in cities like London, New York and Sydney. In addition to that, Google is now adding a new feature that will show commuters their ride history and how much they’ve saved from time-based fare caps.
Thanks to the new feature, commuters will be able to receive updates from their transit agency. Google will be rolling out this feature later this year, but it will only be available with Brighton and Hove buses in the UK initially.
Another new feature announced by Google will make it possible for riders in some cities to purchase and store their transit pass directly on their phone via the Wallet app. This feature is now rolling out for commuters in Madrid, while transit riders in Seattle and the Puget Sound Region will be able to add their ORCA transit cards to Google Wallet.
Since some transit agencies ask riders to carry their ticket on them so that they present it to the driver while boarding the bus, commuters can now save the following tickets to Google Wallet: SNCF in France, Hamburg HVV in Germany, and Italo in Italy.
Finally, Google announced that it has expanded the capability to support multi-leg journeys and increased the ticketing options available to users. For example, you’ll now be able to buy all tickets via Maps whenever you’re commuting to another city and then use the local transit system like subways and buses.
Cosmin, a tech journalist with a career spanning over a decade, brings a wealth of experience to PhoneArena. His expertise lies in brands like Samsung and Nokia, and he has a keen interest in innovative technologies. After a brief stint in PR, Cosmin returned to tech journalism in 2016, committed to delivering clear and objective news. When he's not writing or appearing as a guest on TV and radio shows, Cosmin enjoys playing RPGs, watching Netflix, and nurturing his passion for history and travel.
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