As of today, transit users in the Portland-Vancouver area are able to use their iPhones and Apple Watches to ride the TriMet, C-Tran, and Portland Streetcar, according to the Portland Tribune.
A new update to the Hop app for the Portland area allows the Hop Fastpass for these transit services to be added to Apple Wallet, and from Apple Wallet, they can be used in lieu of a physical ticket or card.
To use the new Hop Fastpass option, riders can hold an iPhone or an Apple Watch near the reader on MAX platforms and in buses and streetcars. There is no need to unlock the iPhone or confirm with Face ID or Touch ID with the Apple Pay Express Transit services.
Simply download the Hop Fastpass app from the App Store, choose the "Add a Hop card" option, and follow the on-screen instructions to make a purchase. From there, choose the "add to Apple Wallet" option. This new system will be replacing the existing TriMet app, which is being phased out by the end of 2020.
"Apple Pay transforms everyday experiences and we're thrilled Portland-Vancouver residents will now be able to go quickly through their daily commute with just their iPhone and Apple Watch," Apple Pay VP Jennifer Bailey told the Portland Tribune.
Transit users can continue to earn a day pass or a month pass, purchase Youth and Honored Citizen Fares, and reload card value using Apple Pay payments.
For visitors to Portland or residents who use transit infrequently, there is an option to use Apple Pay Express Transit with a credit or debit card to pay for trips. Using the new service requires iOS 12.3 and watchOS 5.2.1, updates that were released last week.
Express Transit mode Apple Pay features will also be introduced in Chicago and New York later this year, and are already available in Japan and China. You can also use Apple Pay features for transit without Express Transit mode in Canada, China, Russia, Singapore, the UK, and for Chicago's Ventra system.
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Also, when converting one of the "Hop" physical tap-fare cards to an e-card for Apple Wallet, it deactivates the physical card. Once you put that "RFID token" on your phone, that's it, it's on your phone (or watch.) No putting it back on the physical card. (Which can't run out of batteries.)
That bit is nice - it means that unlike any other Apple Wallet card, you *DON'T* have to "double click to approve". You can just tap your phone/watch on the reader and be on your way.
Source: https://www.mastercard.us/content/dam/mccom/en-us/documents/ContactlessTFLLondonCaseStudy.pdf
It automatically selected the card for "Express Transit Card", which was nice.