Train passengers in Taiwan will be able to book and buy tickets for rail journeys using Apple Pay, with a new ticketing service arriving on September 7.
Introduced by the Taiwan Railways Administration and going live on Tuesday, the railway's iPhone app is being updated to allow passengers to purchase tickets via Apple Pay. The change primarily adds support for Apple's mobile payments platform, which will prevent users from having to enter a credit card number manually.
Under the new process, the system will verify users then perform the Apple Pay payment, saving time and reducing the number of steps required to purchase a ticket.
The TRA says it "aims to build a friendly and diverse electronic payment transaction environment and continue to enhance the convenience of passenger ticket purchase and payment," according to a translated press release.
To further encourage online app purchases, the TRA are also refining a reward system for buying tickets. Points can be earned over time, then spent on discounts of up to 30% off the price of travel.
While previously the points could only be spent by buying tickets in-person, users will be able to redeem the same points online and via the app.