ENTap2Ride A Faster, Easier Way to Pay for Your Ride
Enjoy fast, contactless boarding and a seamless travel experience on high-floor light rail trains. Tap in, ride on, and discover the convenience of effortless commuting.
Important Notice for ZipPass Users
SacRT is expanding its Tap2Ride contactless fare payment program to light rail stations, making it easier and more convenient to pay for your ride.
Tap2Ride allows riders to pay using a contactless debit or credit card or a mobile wallet on a compatible smartphone or smartwatch. Devices are already installed on SacRT buses and SacRT GO Paratransit vehicles, and installation is now underway at light rail stations.
During this transition, riders can continue to use existing fare payment options, including Connect Card and the Transit Connect mobile app.
Tap2Ride Expands to Light Rail Stations
SacRT has begun installing Tap2Ride devices on light rail station platforms. One device will be installed on each platform, allowing riders to pay their fare with a contactless payment method.
Once a device is installed, riders can use it to pay their light rail fare by tapping a contactless debit or credit card or compatible mobile wallet.
Buses and SacRT GO Paratransit Services:
Riders can use contactless debit or credit cards and mobile wallets on Tap2Ride devices installed on buses and SacRT GO shuttles to pay fares and transfer seamlessly between buses.
*Note: Make sure to use the same contactless fare payment method—the same card or smart device—to transfer between buses.
Light Rail:
Contactless fare payment is available at fare vending machines located at all light rail stations. However, during this phase, the fare transfer benefits between bus and light rail (90-minute window, 25 cent transfer fee, and unlimited rides between bus and light rail for the day) are not valid using contactless payment.
Phase 2: Expected in Late 2026
New Tap2Ride Transfers:
The program will expand to include contactless payment to transfer seamlessly between buses and light rail trains.
How Tap2Ride Works
Buses and Paratransit Services
Light Rail
AVAILABLE NOW: Tap your contactless debit, credit card
or mobile wallet (Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American
Express) on a Tap2Ride device as you board.
PHASE 1: Use fare vending machines at light rail stations
to pay with your contactless card or mobile wallet.
PHASE 2: Tap2Ride will allow full integration for transfers.
Arrive at Light Rail Station
Locate the Tap2Ride device on the station platform.
Tap Your Card
Tap your contactless debit or credit card on the designated contactless payment area.
Confirm Payment
Note: A Transit Ambassador on the train can ask for proof of fare, you simply tap the same card/wallet used at the Tap2Ride device on the staff device to confirm fare payment.
How to Pay at a Light Rail Station
Important: A dark screen on the Tap2Ride device does not necessarily mean the device is out of service. The device may still be operating.
Paying Your Fare on Buses and SacRT GO Paratransit
Tap2Ride is already available on SacRT buses and SacRT GO Paratransit vehicles. Riders can tap a contactless debit or credit card or use a compatible mobile wallet to pay when boarding.
To receive applicable transfer benefits between buses, use the same contactless payment method for each ride. For example, if you tap your physical credit card when boarding your first bus or at a light rail station, use that same card for your next bus ride.
Transit Connect App and Smart Cards
SacRT is continuing to improve the Transit Connect mobile fare app as part of the Tap2Ride program. An app upgrade is anticipated by the end of November 2026, pending completion of testing and confirmation of the release schedule.
Transit Connect smart cards are expected to become available in early 2027. Additional information about availability and the transition from existing fare payment options will be shared as it becomes available.
Other Ways to Pay
Riders can continue to use existing fare payment options, including Connect Card and the Transit Connect mobile app, while SacRT completes the Tap2Ride rollout.
Discounted Fare for Eligible Riders
- Seniors (65+ years old)
- Veterans
- Persons with Disabilities (Medicare cardholders)
How to Register for Tap2Ride Discounted Fare Payment
- Select “Sacramento Regional Transit District” as your provider.
- Veterans are verified through the Department of Veterans Affairs database.
- Seniors (65+)* and Medicare cardholders will verify their identity using a state-issued ID through Login.gov.
About Tap2Ride and Cal-ITP
The Tap2Ride system is part of the California Integrated Travel Project (Cal-ITP), a statewide initiative led by Caltrans, the California State Transportation Agency, and the California Department of Technology (CDT). This project aims to modernize fare payment systems and enhance the transit experience for all Californians.
California State Digital ID Framework
Tap2Ride uses the California Digital ID Framework, a secure, privacy-focused system that connects discounts eligibility and fare payments with your identity verification process to streamline a seamless rider experience.
* Note: Although seniors aged 62 and older are eligible to receive discount fare under SacRT’s approved fare structure, the age qualification for senior citizenship in the State of California is 65. The Tap2Ride system links into the federal Social Security Administration database to confirm eligibility.