American Express cards can be used on public transport from May 15

SINGAPORE – Passengers will be able to use American Express cards to make contactless payments on public transport from May 15, with the current slate of accepted credit cards expanded.

Those using these cards can also add them to their mobile wallets for easier access, the Land Transport Authority and American Express announced in a joint press statement on May 13.

Passengers do not need to pre-register their cards to use them.

“This will eliminate the need to carry a separate travel card or top up stored-value travel cards before the journey,” the statement said.

Passengers who use American Express cards are charged the same fares as those who use stored-value travel cards such as ez-link and Nets FlashPay cards, without additional fees involved.

As with other credit cards, charges for public transport rides will be reflected in the user’s credit, charge, debit or pre-paid credit card bills.

Those with a SimplyGo app account can also view their travel expenses and history there. In addition, they can opt to receive push notifications for fares incurred after each trip.

The statement said passengers “who carry more than one contactless bank card or travel card are reminded to take out the card they wish to use before tapping at the fare reader, and to use the same card to tap in and out, to avoid charges to multiple cards”.

Mr Marlin Brown, American Express country manager for Singapore, said the addition of the card to the slate brings greater convenience for users.

“It is important for us to provide our card members with a seamless payment experience wherever they live, work and play, and enabling them to use their cards on public transportation worldwide is essential,” he said.

Credit cards were first accepted on public transport in Singapore in late 2016, when a pilot programme was introduced to

allow the use of Mastercard contactless cards

to pay for bus and train rides.

Mastercard contactless payments were among the features included when

SimplyGo was rolled out in April 2019

. In the same year, the system was expanded to include

Visa cards in June

and

Nets cards in November

.