The $52 million project is converting MetroLink from an open, honour-based system into a fully gated network where every rider must tap or scan to enter. At the heart of the technology sits an NFC-based validation system. Riders using the Ride On Smart Card simply tap their reloadable card against the gate’s built-in NFC reader. The card communicates with the validator over the standard 13.56 MHz NFC frequency, authenticating the rider and deducting fares or verifying pass validity in under a second.

Paper tickets issued from the new ticket vending machines also carry an embedded NFC chip, allowing even cash-paying riders to tap through the gates rather than feed paper into a slot. This is a notable design choice, as it means every single entry point relies on contactless NFC communication regardless of how the ticket was purchased.

The system operates on an account-based model rather than a simple stored-value approach. Each NFC card or app account links to a cloud-managed fare record, similar to the architecture behind New York’s OMNY system and London’s Oyster and contactless setup. This back-end design enables automatic fare-capping, where cumulative spending is tracked in the cloud and riders are automatically upgraded to the equivalent of a 7-Day or 30-Day Pass once their tap-to-ride charges reach the pass threshold.

Phase 2 stations span both Missouri and Illinois, including Shrewsbury, Clayton, Lambert Airport Terminal 1, Belleville, and Fairview Heights among others. Phase 1 activated 13 stations on July 6, covering major stops like Central West End, Union Station, and Forest Park-DeBaliviere. The final Phase 3 is set for August 17, when the remaining 12 stations will come online and complete the network-wide NFC gate deployment.

One limitation worth noting is that MetroLink’s NFC validators do not yet accept tap-to-pay from bank-issued contactless debit or credit cards. Riders must use either the dedicated Ride On Smart Card or a QR code generated through the Transit or Ride On mobile apps. This puts St. Louis behind Southern California’s Metrolink, which launched a contactless pilot in June 2026 allowing riders to tap any Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or Amex card directly at the gate.

The physical infrastructure accompanying the NFC rollout is substantial. More than 1,800 cameras have been installed system-wide, along with controlled entrances, perimeter fencing, and real-time arrival displays. Over $10 million in private-sector funding has supplemented the public investment.

“Eight years ago, there were many people who said that we couldn’t do this, that we couldn’t take an open system and change it to a closed system,” said Taulby Roach, President and CEO of Bi-State Development. “The public was asking in this investment to make it as safe and secure as possible, and that’s what we’re doing today.”

MetroLink operates 46 miles of light rail across Missouri and Illinois, logging more than 6.7 million rides in fiscal year 2024. With Phase 3 on the horizon, the entire network will soon run on NFC-gated entry, making it one of the most complete contactless transit deployments in the Midwest.

Read more at https://www.metrostlouis.org/news-release/metro-to-activate-new-fare-collection-system-and-security-gates-on-july-6/

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