Google's mobile payments service that was recently rebooted with a new name and look will now handle your commutes. It's been announced that, starting with Las Vegas, Google Pay will let you purchase a ticket from your phone and use a digital version on the app as a way to board. Google might be launching the feature with just one city today, but it'll expand to other parts of the nation throughout the year.
If you're in Las Vegas, you'll be able to use the new feature with the Las Vegas Monorail. Both prepaid tickets and passes can be loaded onto Google Pay instead of a credit or debit card.
The transit agency in Sin City uses NXP's MIFARE technology as a way for customers to make contactless transactions. Once you have the ticket on Google Pay, hold your phone above the terminal and you'll gain entry immediately. There's no fumbling around for a physical ticket or even jumping through an app on your phone.
Google Pay will go as far as showing the ticket's expiration date, places where your ticket is valid, and a history of recent activity.
Future locations after Las Vegas remain unknown, but getting the feature live in a city with a big number of tourists should provide Google with a good stress test.
