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Paying for parking is never pleasant, but Google Maps may soon make this task a lot less annoying for you. Last week, Google Maps announced that Android users (and soon iPhone users) can pay for parking within the app.
No more hunting for the right coins to plunk into the parking meter. No need to check whether the parking app is one you’ve registered for. No more forgetting your user name and password for a parking app, only to discover that the credit card you used for the app has expired.
Google Maps can eliminate all of those parking payment frustrations.
And if you’re using public transit instead of parking a car, Google Maps can help you pay for your ride more easily.
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Paying for Parking Using Google Maps
Google Maps has partnered with apps Passport and ParkMobile to make paying for parking easier. If you’ve registered a payment method with Google Pay and are parking at a place that uses Passport or ParkMobile, you can use Google Maps to pay for parking. This new feature is seamless and touchless, making parking safer and easier, especially during the pandemic.
With the update, when you enter a destination into Google Maps, you’ll see an option to Pay for Parking (if you’re heading to a destination with paid parking).
Tap the Start new session button, enter your space number, then the amount of time you’ll be parked there. Then tap Pay.
Google Maps will show you how much time you have remaining and the time when your paid parking expires. If you need extra time on the meter, you can extend the time directly from the Google Maps app by tapping the Add time button. No need to return to the meter to add coins.
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Availability of Paying for Parking Using Google Maps
The ability to pay for parking using Google Maps is available now in an update to the Google Maps app for Android. The update to Google Maps for iOS (iPhone) is coming soon, according to Google.
Google Maps is rolling out this feature in over 400 cities in the U.S, (including Boston, Cincinnati, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C, and more). The company has not yet announced when the ability to pay for parking in Google Maps will be available outside the U.S.
Paying for Transit Rides Using Google Maps
Google also announced Google Maps is adding the ability to pay for transit rides in over 80 places around the world. As with paying for parking using Google Maps, paying for transit rides using Google Maps will require you to have a credit or debit card registered to Google Pay.
With this update, when you search for directions using public transportation on Google Maps, you’ll see an option to pay for your ride using Google Maps.
After you’ve paid for your ride using Google Maps, you can use your phone to tap the ticket reader or show your ticket without having to reach for your wallet.
No more lost tickets, fumbling for fares, waiting in ticket lines. Google Maps can even let you buy monthly passes in places such as San Francisco.
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Availability of Paying for Transit Rides Using Google Maps
Google Maps has started rolling out the ability to pay for transit rides in an update to the app for Android. Google has not yet announced whether this feature will be available for iPhones, though the ability to pay for transit rides has been available for iPhones using Apple Pay for a while. See, Apple Support Where you can ride transit with Apple Pay
Paying for transit rides using Google Maps will be coming to 80 public transit agencies around the world “in the coming weeks” according to Google.
Your Thoughts
Do you like the idea of paying for parking and transit rides using Google Maps? Do you think these new features will be handy and eliminate some annoying travel issues? Will you be more likely to use Google Pay because of these features?
Share your thoughts in the Comments section below!
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*Parking meter image (edited) courtesy of Hafidh Satyanto via Unsplash and Creative Commons
Amazing, Carolyn. I genuinely feel we sometimes forget how technology continues to make life easier in certain aspects. Yep; tech can make life more difficult based on how you use it but the time and energy we save is mind-blowing, when you ponder apps like these. Forget looking for cash or even a card; simply pay through Maps. Fabulous.
Ryan
Hi Ryan, Exactly. When I arrive at a parking meter, I usually can’t remember if I’ve registered for an app. If I have, I probably can’t remember my login information. Or I may not have the right coins to pay for the meter.
This new feature from Google Maps solves all of those issues. I look forward to using this when it comes to the iPhone.
Thanks for sharing this amazing content Google will always find a solution for every problem Keep sharing the latest trends.
Hi Dhanya, Yes, if you park often in a place that has paid parking, this could be a very helpful feature for you.