Your next ride on the T is about to get a lot easier to pay for with the MBTA's new tap-to-pay system, which begins Thursday.
T officials say this feature should help reduce travel time and stress for many riders.
We have all taken the train once whether to work, downtown, a friend's house, but what if you have a friend in town?
Officials are trying to remove a step to make the path to your destination easier — all you have to do is tap, wait for the green check mark and you're done.
This new feature is being rolled out Thursday at all gated subway stations as well as on MBTA buses, Green Line trolleys and Mattapan line trolleys.
It's giving another option to T riders who up until now have had to use CharlieCards, reloading money on it all the time. Now, they can skip the middleman and just use the card.
However, CharlieCards are not going away. Commuters still have the option of using them on the existing fare gates or fare readers. They just cannot be used on the new "tap" pads.
Those who pay using cash, ride the Commuter Rail, the ferry, use a weekly or monthly pass, or use a pass from a school or employer are being asked to continue using their pay method.
Gov. Maura Healey will get a first look at the new tap-to-pay feature Thursday.
For more information on the tap-to-pay system, visit mbta.com.
