My original Ventra card expires next week, and I just received the new one by mail. The new expiration date is 2038! One less thing to worry about for a while!

I noticed that as well.

Funny. Guess saves them the cost of mailing new ones every 3 or 4 years.

now that they dropped the stupid prepaid card crap, there's no need for a credit card like expiration

I've dumped the Ventra card altogether a couple of years ago. Now using Google Pay / Apple Pay on my smartphone to board. I'm surprised that I rarely see others doing the same.

I've used apple pay by itself and it works fine, but does apple pay/google pay work with
1) pretax commuter accounts
2) transfers
3) passes

I've looked at the Ventra site before to understand how it works and it's a bit...lacking. They say that passes are supported, but i couldn't find info about how to link it?

In any case, I use PAYG on a ventra card use the transit value on my ventra card funded with pretax dollars. If Apple Pay can support that then I'll consider using it; then i won't be getting stopped becuase ventra doenst like to work next to these silly metal credit cards banks keep issuing.

First, let me clarify what a PAYG fare is. A PAYG fare is charged when you use a credit or debit card or a mobile device and DO NOT have a sufficient balance in a Ventra Account associated with that card or device to pay the fare. A PAYG fare is never charged when using a Ventra Card except in the very rare instance that you have no money in your Ventra account AND you have activated the debit card feature of your Ventra Card. This is the terminology that the Chicago Ventra system uses. I realize that it is different than the terminology that London and some other cities use.

Transfers are issued ONLY when you pay for the original fare and the transfer charge from a balance in a Ventra Account. This means you must pre-pay your fare before riding. If the fare is charged to your credit/debit account, you must pay a full new fare each time you board. This has nothing to do with the $5 preauthorization. If you are paying your fare in a way that results in the $5 preauthorization, you will NOT receive a transfer fare.

A quote directly from the Ventra Terms and Conditions:


Yes, it is possible. It's no secret. They even put up a video on YouTube showing how to do it.

They said at first that there would be a way to do online maintenance. But they were assuming that Mastercard would just happily hand over a complete list of all active Mastercard numbers together with the associated Virtual Account Numbers used for contactless transactions. As you might imagine, Mastercard told them to go stuff it. They are no longer claiming there will be such a feature.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df-elixixB0

If you understand what the Chicago Ventra system means by "PAYG" as opposed to what other transit systems mean by "PAYG," then you'd understand that the only way to use PAYG on Ventra is to have your own contactless method. Again, it's really not a secret.

Thanks for this thread -- I'd heard the bus announcements, but this reminded me that I probably hadn't updated my Ventra account info since moving two years ago!

Can two people share a single ventra account on their respective mobile devices? i.e. perhaps something like a family plan
-

I'm not sure of exactly what you are trying to do.

The CTA would, for example, heartily disapprove of sharing your monthly pass with a few dozen of your closest friends and family. (Or any of your friends and family, for that matter.)

But, basically, no. When you use Google Pay, for example, you have to select a credit/debit card from your wallet. When you go to pay, your phone does not send that credit card number to the card reader. Instead it sends a generated number known as the PAN to the card reader. Even if both you and your friend both had the same card in your Google Wallet, your phones wouldn't be sending the same PAN and so they would look like different cards to the card reader.

As far as Metra goes, they actually store the tickets on your phone to prevent ticket-sharing.

Mrs & I share a single 10 ride ticket as we don't utilize Metra often. We also both share my Ventra card when traveling on PACE & CTA which is not a common item either.

Trying to understand based on our limited use if the app makes sense, with your example it does't appear that it is worthwhile based on our usage. Thanks.

I didn't know this was an option. Thanks!

I'm always shocked that they don't advertise this more at ORD. Lines are often 5+ deep at each machine, and while the posters prominently advertise the mobile wallet option, I've never heard staff mention it.

Willie, get the paper 10-ride ticket! I have used this for years to go to Palatine or Flossmoor. With the paper ticket, you only have to inform the conductor, when he she comes to collect, that this is for both you and your lovely spouse. It will be punched twice.