Contactless debit card payments on the bus vs Snapper Card
I’ve been trying out using my contactless (PayWave) debit card on the bus with unsatisfactory results.
Transit Pass - where you set a default card to be used for transit payments - just does not work.
I honestly am just going to go back to using the Snapper Card, because it worked quickly and easily and topping it up using the app is convenient and cool as heck.
Here’s how it typically goes:
- Hold iPhone or Apple Watch (I’ve tried with both) up to the card reader.
- Cards come up, but ask for verification (seemingly on iPhone only)
- Panic, because I’m now holding up other people trying to board.
- Scroll to correct card, double click (and FaceID on iPhone), hold to reader and wait.
- Paid.
Getting off, I have to scroll to the same card, Face ID and tag off. I have not been able to get Apple Watch to work successfully, despite using it regularly for other purchases.
Just to pre-empt some questions, I regularly use PayWave on both devices. I have Transit Pass set up on both devices. I’m sure Android is better, but I’m not ready to leave my walled garden.
My question is:
• Why doesn’t Transit Pass work?
• Am I doing something wrong when paying with Apple Watch (even when not using Transit Pass)?
• Has anyone else tried contactless payments on the Wellington buses? - if so, how’d you go? Was it finicky??