Paying your fare shouldn’t slow you down when you’re boarding a bus, and now it doesn’t have to.
As part of our ongoing process to expedite, modernize, and simplify our fare payment system, we are now introducing tap to pay on all our buses. Beginning February 1, 2026, customers can tap a credit or debit card, or a smartphone or smartwatch using Apple Pay or Google Pay, right on the fare validator. No app or account needed, just tap and go!
It’s the kind of convenience that you already use every day, whether it’s paying for your groceries, morning coffee, or even a parking meter. Now, tap to pay is available on all CapMetro buses, too.
Who benefits from tap to pay?
Whether you’re riding for the first time, commuting every day, or just hopping on to run a quick errand, tap to pay is designed to make transit feel easier and more intuitive. You don’t need to figure out how to pay ahead of time or carry anything new, which means boarding is faster, trips feel smoother, and getting to wherever you’re going takes just a little less effort.
This new option is especially helpful if you:
- Ride occasionally and just want to pay for a single trip
- Live in Central Texas and value convenience
- Prefer tapping a phone or smartwatch instead of opening an app or carrying a physical card.
- Are visiting and don’t want to figure out a new fare system or purchase a reloadable fare card.
What you need to know
When you tap and go on CapMetro bus, you can also take advantage of daily fare capping!
That means you’ll never pay more than the cost of two trips, which is $2.50, in one day as long as you tap with the same card or mobile wallet. Once you take two single trips, the rest of your rides that day are free.
If you’re a frequent customer, it’s worth noting that to benefit from monthly fare capping, you’ll need to continue to use the Umo app or a Reloadable Fare Card. While tap to pay does make paying as you go easier than ever, it only supports daily fare capping.
It’s also currently only available on CapMetro buses and all major bank companies are accepted, with the exception of American Express. While you can use credit cards on board CapMetro Rail with a conductor, tap to pay isn’t available. CapMetro Pickup vehicles and Bikeshare bikes are also not equipped with the scanners needed to support tap to pay at this time.
Additionally, any rider who qualifies for discounted fares should continue to pay using their Reloadable Fare Card or Umo account.
One More Way to Make it Easier to Ride
Tap to pay is just the latest step CapMetro is taking to make transit easier, more accessible, and more convenient for riders across Central Texas. When paying is easy, riding feels easier, and that’s good for everyone.
So next time you hop on a bus, just tap and go!
To learn more about fares and payment options, visit capmetro.org/fares.
