Vodafone, KPN customers can now use Android phone to pay for public transit

Vodafone and KPN customers can now use their Android phones to pay for public transport in the Netherlands. This new way of payment was launched across the Netherlands on Monday, after years of cooperation between public transit companies, KPN, Vodafone and the public transport card maker Translink, NU.nl reports.

Smartphone payment is currently only available for Android users who are customers of Vodafone, KPN and KPN subsidiaries Simyo, Yes Telecom and Telfort. Customers of other providers can't use the service yet.

To use the Smartphone payment system, users must register on this website. After registration, a digital public transit card will be installed on an encrypted part of your SIM card, which means that the telecom provider will not be able to track your public transit travel information. Vodafone customers must install the public transit app through the Vodafone Wallet app. KPN users must install the ov-chipmobiel app.

Once installed and activated, the smartphone payments work the same as regular public transit card payments. Users hold the back of their phones against the checkpoints or gates to check in and out.

At this stage only the age discount is available on the smartphone payment system. Other discounts will only be added at a later stage.