Getting Started
Many debit and credit cards are contactless and allow you to securely tap your card to pay. A contactless card has a symbol on the front or back like a Wi-Fi symbol turned on its side. And if you have a credit or debit card set up in your mobile wallet, you can tap your smartphone as you board.
Cards Supported:
- American Express
- Discover
- Mastercard
- Visa
Digital Wallets:
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
- Samsung Pay
Riding with Contactless Payment
1. When waiting to board, have your contactless payment method ready.
2. As you board, hold your contactless card or mobile device near the contactless symbol on the front of the onboard validator.
3. When the validator chimes and you see a check mark, you can find your seat.
Pay Less…Automatically!
Wave lets you pay as you ride and stops charging you once you hit your daily limit. This eliminates the need to pay upfront for daily or monthly passes. Once you reach the cap, the rest of your rides are free. It’s a simple way to guarantee you always pay the lowest fare possible. You can see your fare capping progress online or in the app once you’ve used your card on board. Monthly fare capping is not available for contactless payments.
This applies to our regular, senior and disabled fares. Our Youth Ride Free (18 and under) program and the College Pass Program won’t change.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s tapping your enabled debit or credit card or smart phone to pay without inserting or swiping.
OCTA accepts contactless payments made using an American Express, Discover, MasterCard or Visa debit or credit card, or mobile wallet-enabled smartphones or smartwatches.
Contactless cards have a wave-like symbol on the front or back that looks like a wi-fi symbol turned on its side. This tells you that you can pay for purchases by tapping your card at authorized payment terminals, such as OCTA’s onboard validator.
If you have more than one debit or credit card linked to your mobile wallet, your fare will be charged to the card you selected as your default. If you want to use a different card, you must designate it as your default card prior to boarding.
More Ways to Pay
Wave Card
The Wave card allows you to pay for travel on OCTA’s transit services throughout Orange County. It’s a reloadable card that offers balance protection and daily and monthly fare capping. It can be purchased online or at participating retailers.
Wave Mobile App
The Wave by OCTA mobile app lets you manage your account on the go. There’s never a need to carry a card. All the tools you need are on your phone and at your fingertips, including adding funds, fare capping, and managing cards. It’s all in one place.