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The CTA, Metra and Pace are planning to introduce a Ventra smartphone app sometime this fall that will allow riders with iPhones and Android devices to buy transit tickets and passes, track the expected arrival times of buses and trains, and eventually to plan trips involving transfers between the three transit systems. Metra riders will be the first to pay fares using the app. CTA and Pace buses and CTA rail commuters will still have to use the Ventra card to board buses and trains. Stations and buses will eventually be outfitted with readers to collect fares by optically scanning the smartphone.
Read the full story here.
System requirements: Mac iOS 7.0 and above. Android 4.X/Ice Cream Sandwich and above.
Step 1: Managing Ventra account
The app will enable CTA and Pace riders to add value to their Ventra accounts or buy passes, “like having a transit vending machine in your pocket.”
Step 2: Picking a ticket option
Metra riders buying tickets on the app will select their Metra line, departure and destination stations, and the type of ticket or pass.
Step 3: Paying fares on Metra
Once on the train, Metra riders will call up a stored ticket or pass on their smartphone and show it to a conductor to verify the fare has been paid.
Step 4: The clock starts
Once a Metra ticket is activated, it remains valid for a set amount of time that is based on the number of travel zones purchased.
Step 5: Transit Tracker
The app includes the popular Transit Tracker feature and also helps users find the closest bus stop or rail station.
Sources: Ventra, Tribune reporting
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