Steamship Authority introduces NFC ticketing on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard ferries

Steamship Authority eFerry NFC mobile ticketing
EFERRY: Passengers can now use NFC ticketing on Steamship Authority ferries, authenticating their ticket as they board

Passengers travelling on ferries between the US mainland and the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket can now pay for their tickets using Apple Wallet or Google Pay and authenticate their ticket on boarding by holding their iPhone, Apple Watch or Android device near an NFC-enabled ticket scanner.

The Steamship Authority first introduced contactless eFerry tickets on its high-speed services to Nantucket in 2019 and has now expanded the service to all its regular traditional ferry services.

“Unlike the fast ferry tickets, which still need to be purchased on the authority’s website, the traditional ferry tickets can be purchased on the web without having to log in to an account,” the Steamship Authority explains. 

“Customers can simply choose their route, their fare and the number of tickets before paying.

“Within seconds, the tickets are then loaded to the customer’s Apple Wallet or Google Pay, and are ready to be redeemed at the terminal.”

“I could not be more pleased that the rollout of the eFerry tickets is now complete,” says the Steamship Authority’s general manager Robert Davis. 

“We have already seen from the high-speed service that the eFerry ticket makes it quicker and easier for passengers to purchase tickets and get on board one of our ferries, and the new payment process will further streamline the process for our traditional ferry passengers.

“The contactless technology is also offering the added benefit of being one less touchpoint in the travel purchase process — an improvement that cannot be understated in the age of Covid-19.”

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