TAP Card
The TAP (Transit Access Pass) card is a reusable, reloadable electronic card that can hold all your Foothill Transit passes and cash fares at once – making boarding the bus a breeze!
Pay With TAP And Get More.
Choose TAP over cash for your ride.
It’s safe and convenient.
- It’s faster. No fumbling for change or memorizing fares.
- Increased travel options. Load Stored Value (money) on your TAP card and travel on 24 transit systems across LA County.
- Balance protection. Protects your card balance against loss or theft when registered.
- Free 2-hour transfers. Customers who pay with TAP get free 2-hour transfers, and all our passes are available only on TAP cards.
TAP cards, passes, and Stored Value are available:
- With the TAP LA smartphone app
- At all of our Transit Stores
- Online at taptogo.net
- By phone at 866-TAP-TOGO (827-8646)
- At over 400 vendor locations
- At TAP vending machines
When you buy your fare online, with your app, or by calling TAP Customer Service, you may need to wait up to 1 hour before you can use it on the bus. If more than 30 days pass before you use the TAP card that holds your purchases, the fare will not be active, and you will not be able to use the fare you purchased. If this happens, call 866-TAPTOGO (866-827-8646) and ask them to reinstate your fare. The fare will then be available in 6 business days. If you buy your fare at a TAP vending machine or at or at TAP vendors including our Transit Stores, you can use it any time — no action within 30 days is required.
Every TAP card can hold 7 fare items at a time. Stored value counts as a fare item. When you pay your fare, valid Foothill Transit passes will be used before stored value. Remember that stored value is needed to pay any transfer fees. Foothill Transit passes purchased online, through the TAP app, by phone, or at a store will be used in the order you purchased them: first in, first out. If you purchase a Day Pass on board the bus at the fare box, that pass will be activated for use immediately. Please note that regional passes or passes from other agencies may be handled differently. You can contact TAP or the issuing agency for more information.
How to TAP
- Use the TAP LA smartphone app or buy a TAP card for just $2 at any Foothill Transit Store, taptogo.net, or at over 400 vendor locations.
- Load up your card with a pass or cash amount at a Foothill Transit Store, taptogo.net or 866.TAPTOGO (827.8646). Your fare may take up to 2 hours to show up on your TAP card, so plan ahead. You can also load cash on your TAP card on board the bus; ask your bus operator for help.
- Ask for special purchases like a Day Pass before you tap.
- Tap your card or phone against the round TAP logo on the farebox where you board your bus.
- Wait for the beep. This indicates your fare has been deducted from your card.
- Go find your seat and settle in.
TAP FAQs
Lots of LA County transit providers accept TAP cards, including Foothill Transit, Los Angeles Metro, LADOT, Pasadena Transit, Santa Clarita Transit, Montebello Bus Lines, Culver CityBus and more. For some services, like Metro Rail, a TAP card is the only way to pay your fare. See the full list of current TAP partners at taptogo.net.
Please make sure you do – bus drivers can issue citations for anyone who fails to tap or pay cash at the farebox.
Each TAP card is designed to last 10 years before needing a replacement.
Treat your TAP card just like you would a debit card or state ID. Register your card for Balance Protection at taptogo.net or 866-TAP-TOGO (827-8646), and you’ll be able to recover your pass or cash balance if your card is ever lost or stolen.
Your TAP card is designed just like your other credit cards, so treat it with care and it is not likely to have a problem with demagnetizing.