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Court Upholds Apple Wallet Sales of Navigo Tickets as IDFM Announces Full Bus Contactless Rollout

The ruling keeps the iPhone purchase channel open while leaving unpaid questions over commissions, customer data and who will fund a planned €100 million contactless expansion.

Overview

  • A court ruling on Wednesday, May 20, cleared Apple and Île-de-France Mobilités to continue selling Navigo tickets through Apple Wallet, overturning the practical effect of an ART order that threatened the service.
  • The Autorité de régulation des transports had ordered in February that IDFM let RATP and SNCF sell all Navigo titles from their own apps and receive commissions, a decision that IDFM appealed and that remains part of the dispute.
  • IDFM said it will equip 100% of Paris buses with contactless bank-card validators by summer 2026 and intends to extend the system to key metro and RER lines used by tourists, subject to further discussions.
  • Practical trade-offs for users include convenience for occasional riders and tourists but higher on-board fares and no transfer rights for card purchases, with single on-bus tickets priced at €2.55 versus cheaper Navigo options.
  • The court outcome resolves the immediate Wallet threat but leaves unresolved commercial fights over commissions and access to customer data between IDFM and RATP Smart Systems/SNCF Connect, and it does not settle who will pay the estimated €100 million rollout cost.