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Diario Euskadi

BAT Card App Still Unavailable for iPhone Six Years After Android Launch

Users demand an iOS version, as the current application only allows card top-ups and does not replace physical use.

Generic image of a smartphone screen displaying a public transport app, next to a physical card.
IA

Generic image of a smartphone screen displaying a public transport app, next to a physical card.

The official BAT card application is still not available for iPhone, six years after its launch on Android, causing frustration among users.

The application for topping up the BAT card remains unavailable for iPhone users. Six years after its initial launch on Android, the official app is still restricted to Android devices, leading to renewed complaints from users who cannot access this service on iOS-powered mobile phones.
The latest complaint was submitted through the Citizen's Mailbox, where a user asked: "When will we be able to enjoy an APP for iOS?". Currently, iPhone users cannot check or top up their card from their mobile, an option that is available on Android.
However, even on the Android system, the application has limitations. The BAT NFC app allows users to check movements, view balances, or top up the card, but it does not serve as a digital alternative to the physical BAT card itself. This means it does not allow direct payment with the mobile, making the physical card still essential for traveling on buses or trams.
This application was launched in 2020 by the Mobility Authority of Álava. Since then, its operation has remained largely unchanged: it requires an Android mobile with NFC technology and allows operations such as topping up the wallet or purchasing temporary tickets.
In 2023, the Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council already clarified, also through the Citizen's Mailbox, that this app “is an application of the Mobility Authority of Araba” and that neither the Council nor Tuvisa manage its development. Furthermore, it noted that “for there to be an app for iOS, there would have to be a developer interested in creating it.”
Meanwhile, other transport systems in Euskadi have made progress in this area. This is the case with the Barik card in Bizkaia, which has an application for both Android and iPhone. The same applies to the Mugi card, used in Gipuzkoa.
The BAT card is the usual payment system for public transport in Vitoria-Gasteiz and Álava, valid on Tuvisa, the tram, and regional transport. However, its complete digitalization remains, for now, an unresolved issue for iOS users.

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