For BART riders, the need for a Clipper Card to board a train has been clipped.
A new system of payment went into effect Wednesday that allows riders to use contactless credit cards to purchase their fare. The Tap and Ride system also takes debit cards and other mobile payment methods such as Apple Pay and Google pay.
The new method is intended to save time for riders, with zero registration or set-up process needed.
In a statement, BART General Manager Bob Powers said the change is an “especially important innovation for out-of-town visitors and infrequent riders who may not have a physical or digital Clipper card and want a simple way to use our service.”
According to BART, the Tap and Ride takes Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover Network. ATM bank cards must have a contactless symbol. Contactless credit cards are also known as tap-to-pay cards and use technology that enables payments without requiring physical contact with a card reader. That lack of physical contact is intended to make the payment more secure.
Only full adult fares can be purchased with the contactless credit cards. Those with eligibility-based discounts must continue to use a Clipper card.
BART said that android devices will present the digital Clipper card automatically if the user has one in Google Wallet. Android device users can override that feature and use a desired bank card to pay with Tap and Ride.
More information on the new way to pay was available at https://s4.clippercard.com/ClipperWeb/contactless-payments.html.
Please check back for updates.