MRT-3 now accepting QR code, tap card payments

MANILA - The Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) is now accepting cashless payments at certain station turnstiles, with no need to purchase a ticket at teller booths.

In a statement on Friday, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said these turnstiles accept GCash Commuter QR codes, Android phones with Near Field Communication (NFC)-enabled payment, and all Mastercard and Visa debit and credit cards.

The rollout of cashless payment at the MRT-3 is in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to make the commuter experience more convenient and hassle-free.

“Walang dagdag sa pasahe dito. 'Yung sistema, kung ano ang ikakaltas sa GCash nyo, sa credit card nyo, sa debit card nyo, pareho lang kung bumili kayo ng single journey ticket (This won’t increase the fare. The system will charge to your GCash, credit card, or debit card the same amount as purchasing a single journey ticket),” Dizon said.

The system is designed to work with Visa and Mastercard debit and credit cards with EMV chips, with users needing to only tap their cards at newly installed contactless payment terminals at station turnstiles.

However, older cards with EMV chips may not work and may need to be replaced with a newer EMV chip for them to work with the system.

He emphasized that there will be no need to go through ticket counters to buy a single journey ticket when using the cashless payment turnstiles.

“First of its kind ito sa whole world. Halos lahat ng payment modes pwede in one device. Ito ang tinutulak sa atin ng Pangulo na gawing convenient ang travel experience (This is the first of its kind in the world. Almost all modes of payment are integrated into one device. This is what the President has been asking, make the travel experience more convenient),” he said.

The DOTr has partnered with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Landbank, GCash, Visa, and KentKart in establishing the cashless payment system.

On the other hand, the cashless payment system will also be rolled out at the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) and the Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2) in partnership with RCBC. (PNA)

(2025/07/28-16:46)

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