The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is testing a new version of its Charlie Card with support for Apple Wallet on iPhone and Apple Watch. The digital transit card is not yet available to the general public, and the MBTA says a broader release will come at a later date.

The trial gives selected participants access to the new Charlie Card while the transit agency evaluates the system. The MBTA has not announced when the public rollout will begin, so riders who are not part of the test must continue using the currently available fare options.

How the new Charlie Card works

The updated Charlie Card is designed to be added to Apple Wallet, allowing it to be used from a compatible iPhone or Apple Watch. This brings the Charlie Card into Apple’s digital wallet alongside other supported passes and payment cards.

The MBTA’s information for riders includes separate guidance covering the new Charlie Card and paying fares with Apple Pay. Those pages indicate that the agency is preparing for Apple Wallet-based fare payments as part of its ongoing Charlie Card work.

Public release date has not been announced

For now, access is restricted to people taking part in the MBTA’s test. The agency has described the public launch only as coming “at a later date,” without providing a specific date or timetable.

That means the test is an early step rather than a completed replacement for the physical Charlie Card. Riders will need to wait for further MBTA instructions before they can add the new version to Apple Wallet through a generally available process.

Why Apple Wallet support matters

Apple Wallet support could make the Charlie Card more convenient for riders who already carry an iPhone or Apple Watch. Keeping a transit card on one of those devices may reduce the need to carry a separate physical card, although the MBTA has not yet provided broader public-release details in the available announcement.

The agency’s test will also establish when and how the feature becomes available to the wider Boston transit system. Until the MBTA confirms those details, the new Charlie Card remains limited to participants in the current trial.