The Las Vegas Monorail Company announced the launch of virtual transit ticketing with the new Google Pay app for Android phones. The Monorail now offers riders the ability to quickly and easily purchase fares online and use their phone at the fare gates for immediate transit access to everything along the Las Vegas Strip. It is the first transit system in the world to fully integrate their ticketing system with Google Pay using MIFARE contactless technology. Hi-resolution photos are available here.
With just a few clicks, Monorail customers can now purchase and save tickets using their credit and debit cards or PayPal account linked to Google Pay with the security of Google encryption. Once customers arrive at the Monorail station, they simply tap their phone on the fare gate and ride.
“Easing the end-to-end travel experience has been a key focus for Google, and we’re excited that people using the Las Vegas Monorail can now use Google Pay to instantly buy, store and use train tickets,” said Pali Bhat, Google’s Vice President of Payments Product Management.
For customers not using Google Pay, the Monorail now offers Scan-and-Go mobile ticketing. These guests can also purchase tickets online and specify whether to receive the electronic ticket via email or text message on their mobile device. At the fare gates, riders can scan the e-ticket’s QR code and ride.
“We’re proud to be the first transit system in the world to enable the new Google Pay app capabilities to make it easy for customers to use the Monorail,” says Ingrid Reisman, vice president and chief marketing officer, Las Vegas Monorail Company. “Offering Google’s secure payment option and fast, simple checkout improves the guest experience in accessing the Monorail. Meanwhile, encouraging paperless ticketing complements our environmentally friendly profile. Last year, the Monorail’s zero-emissions trains aided in the removal of an estimated 2.2 million vehicle miles and 28.73 tons of air pollutants and we’re always looking for more ways to help improve air quality and reduce environmental waste.”
The Monorail worked with NXP® Semiconductors, an expert in the field of transportation and security, to enable the digitization of the MIFARE cards into virtual tickets on the mobile device. The Monorail has a partnership history with NXP, beginning when the companies collaborated to implement the first-ever integration of transit fare into a convention badge during CES 2017.
“We’re happy to once again collaborate with the Las Vegas Monorail to deliver ultimate smart transportation experiences,” said Rafael Sotomayor, senior vice president and general manager of Secure Transactions and Identifications at NXP. “We believe that the new MIFARE 2GO with Google Pay deployment by the Las Vegas Monorail serves as a model for other public transportation systems to follow not just in the United States but around the world.”
To celebrate the launch, the Monorail is offering 20 percent off unlimited-ride Monorail passes for a limited time at https://tix.lvmonorail.com/google
