Using Apple watch for Underground in London and Metro in Paris

My husband and I used our iwatches to pay for almost everything in London and it was great! The only tip for the Underground is to make sure the watch face is flat over the reader and practically touching the screen where you tap and a sleeve isn't partially blocking it. I sometimes had trouble with that.

YES! Paris metro was a breeze with an iWatch. I highly recommend- why?

Easy to load. I put in the daily Navigo pass. That way I didn’t have to count rides or try to add more tickets while runnning around.

Didn’t have to worry about phone being snatched.

I didn’t worry about Metro police who will fine people on the spot if their ticket wasn’t validated properly. I’ve read the validation machines don’t always work properly or maybe it’s user error, I don’t know, but it was one less thing to be concerned with.

I loved just tapping and going.

Have fun.

We used our Apple watches to ride the London Underground and it was great. Previously, we had used credit cards or our phones to tap in and out, however using the watch feels much more secure and convenient. And actually, on our last few trips, we have used the watch to pay for almost all expenses, not just transportation. Most recently, we were in Slovenia and Croatia and used them without a hitch. I would just say if you are new to the iwatch, start using it to make purchases at home before you leave, so you are comfortable with the settings, etc.

Just spent 10 days in December in London and I used my Apple Watch on the London tube…….WONDERFUL. All i had to do was tap and i was through….then I covered my wrist up with my sleeve and you never knew it was even there…..hubby does not have one or want one and he had to stop, find his card in his wallet, pull it out, tap it, put it back up in his wallet and lock his wallet back securely on his body. I loved the convenience…..even used it in restaurants, etc because it was so easy. We went to London on guard because of the constant warnings about iPhone theft….never saw it even on the tube where people pulled out their iPhones as they were warned NOT to do and used them for directions. You will be so glad you have it!

The Apple Watch works great. Just remember if you use it to enter the metro, use it to exit as well. Most if not all merchants in London use tap and go payment methods, including pubic restrooms that charge for use. You only need a small amount of cash/coin in the UK.

? - I used my iphone to enter/exit London's underground. I would like to start using my Apple watch while out in public as many posters have noted the added security of not needing to take out a phone. I keep my iPhone in airplane mode to avoid using data. In the USA I use my phone's wallet, with credit cards loaded, at grocery stores and other merchants that accept Apple pay. I have never tried to make a purchase with my Apple watch. It too is set to airplane mode and has my cApple Master Card loaded. I'm going to try, as Lisuza suggested, to use my watch next time at the grocery store, while on airplane mode and hope it works like my iPhone.

Please be aware that technically there is no such thing as a merchant that accepts Apple Pay. In order for a payment with your watch or IPhone to be accepted, two conditions must be met;
1) the merchant needs to have a payment terminal that can read the NFC chip in your watch or phone. This is a similar chip as in debit and or credit cards. By law, all payment terminals in the EU must be able to read these NFC chips. So this condition shouldn’t be an issue.
2) the merchant must accept the debit or credit card you linked to your Apple account. If you’ve linked an Amex card to it and the merchant only accepts Visa and Mastercard, you can’t pay with your watch or phone. Not because the merchant doesn’t accept Apple Pay, but because the merchant doesn’t accept Amex.

Thank you Dutch. I am probably not using the correct wording... an example is that some merchants in the US accept my Capital One Master Card but not my Apple Goldman Sachs Master Card. These are credit cards, not debit cards. The various grocery stores I visit accept both of my Master Cards. I'm going to try using my Apple Watch next time instead of my phone to tap and pay.