Transit riders hopping on a bus or ferry across the Seattle area can now use a digital ORCA card via their Google Wallet on Android and Wear OS devices.
The cards enable users to pay for transit, fund their accounts, purchase a pass, view transactions, and see trip history all within the Google Wallet app, and serve as a replacement for plastic ORCA cards.
To add the payment option on one of the devices, follow these instructions, and learn more here:
- Open Google Wallet
- Select add to wallet
- Choose transit pass
- Search for “ORCA”
- Tap ORCA, and that’s it
Customers with the physical cards can convert them into digital cards on Google Wallet at no extra charge. Passes and balances will be transferred and the plastic card will be deactivated. New adult digital cards added to the wallet will cost the same as a physical ORCA card: $3.
Users will have to check to make sure cards issued by businesses, schools, and organizations are able to be added to Google Wallet. Customers can contact their issuer for such information.
Participating transit agencies include: Community Transit, Everett Transit, King County Metro, Kitsap Transit, Pierce Transit, Sound Transit, and Washington State Ferries.
The new service, which was first announced last October, is only available for ORCA cards at this time; customers cannot use credit and debit cards from Google Wallet to pay for transit in the Seattle area.
Transit GO allows iOS and Android users to pay for Metro Transit buses, SoundTransit trains, and other methods.
