Tap to Pay now live for KT buses, fast ferries

Published 1:30 am Thursday, May 7, 2026

The Kitsap Transit Board of Commissioners received an update about new Tap to Pay options as part of its May 5 regular business meeting.

Previously, on Feb. 23, ORCA (a regional pass connecting seven transit agencies, including King County Metro and Kitsap Transit under one payment system), released a new Tap to Pay option within the Puget Sound region, which allows riders to use credit, debit, and digital wallets to pay for fares.

KT launched Tap to Pay on buses Feb. 23, and on fast ferries May 2, KT public information coordinator Christian Vosler said. Tap to Pay is not yet available on Washington State Ferries, per a Feb. 19 news release.

“Tap to Pay makes it easier for people to ride transit who do not have or do not want an ORCA card, makes it easier for international riders to take transit in the Puget Sound region, and allows riders to use their phones or smart devices to pay their fare, which has been a highly requested feature,” Vosler said.

“Riders using Tap to Pay are charged an adult fare and will receive the standard ORCA two-hour transfer benefit,” per KT. The agency encourages riders who receive transit discounts, such as Senior, Youth, and ORCA LIFT, to continue to use their ORCA cards.

Regionally, throughout the month of April, “5.33% of all ORCA boardings were Tap to Pay using a credit or debit card. Week-over-week, we see a higher percentage of boardings using a credit or debit card on weekends. Tap to Pay usage increases throughout Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and levels out throughout weekdays. This pattern aligns with our initial expectation that Tap to Pay would be especially beneficial for infrequent transit riders, special event attendees and visitors. Overall, we’ve seen over 819,000 boardings using a credit or debit card since launch,” Sound Transit spokesperson David Jackson said.