Express Transit on U.K. Buses and the London Underground

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

One of the best features of the Apple Watch and iPhone is a feature called Express Transit. This is a feature where you add a card to Apple Wallet and then set that card as your Express Transit card.

Once this is set all you have to do is hold your phone or watch to a compatible payment terminal and you are all set. Many U.K. buses and the London Underground are equipped with terminals that support this.

This has made traveling around the U.K. so much simpler. Best part is, at the time of writing this, these transportation methods have daily and weekly caps. You just tap when you get on a bus or enter the Underground. Then once you’ve reached your destination you just tap again as you get off a bus or leave the Underground. The system automatically calculates your fare and charges the card that was set for Express Transit.

Honestly traveling via this method feels like some futuristic technology. The first time I did it I felt like someone was going to come and wrest me for not paying. A few days later I see the charge come out of my account–do take into account this when you are perhaps having a nice evening out. The reckoning of your wallet will happen when the banker comes calling.

This is a feature that is on many Android devices, but I can’t personally speak on the experience as I do not use an Android device for my day-to-day use. From what I’ve seen, the experience is very similar to the iPhone:

This is yet another feature that makes me appreciate the age we live in. No more paper tickets or plastic travel cards. No longer have to pre-buy tickets for your journey. Just tap and go. I’ve successfully used this quite a few times on my trips to England to see James. Exciting to see what the future holds next.

-Jae