What started as a stored value card for exclusive use in the LRT and MRT has evolved into a tap-and-go payment card you can use in more places—from bus and ferry terminals to convenience stores.
If you're using that blue card only as a train ticket, you're missing out on its convenience. Like a contactless credit card, the beep card eliminates the hassles of cash payments. No more awkward moments with the cashier after you hand them a ₱1,000 bill and you're left fumbling for coins.
Yes, your beep card is more useful than you think. Here's a quick beginner's guide to using a beep card in the Philippines. If you’re having trouble finding one, this article will also tell you where to buy a beep card.
What is a Beep Card?
beep is a reloadable stored-value card in the Philippines mainly used to electronically pay for public transportation fares at Metro Manila's train stations and select bus terminals.
This smart card makes payments more convenient for Filipino commuters. You'll spend less time queuing for train or bus tickets when using this card rather than paying in cash. You can easily pay for your fare even if you don't have coins or exact change.
What are the Uses of a Beep Card?
The beep card was launched in 2015 and was initially intended for the riding public in LRT1, LRT2, and MRT3. Eventually, several bus lines (including the BGC Bus, Citylink buses, and most P2P buses) started to accept fare payments using beep cards.
Over the years, uses of the beep card have expanded to include payments for other types of transactions. To give you an idea of different beep card uses, here’s where you can use your beep card:[1]
- LRT 1, LRT 2, and MRT3
- P2P Buses
- BGC Bus
- TAS Trans/San Agustin
- RRCG
- UBE Express
- Precious Grace Transport
- LNC Link
- Provincial buses - Davao Metro Shuttle
- City buses
- Phil Tourister
- HM Trans
- RRCG
- Joysell Express
- Jasper Jean Services
- Pascual Liner
- Precious Grace
- Modern PUV
- Ferries
- Retail
- Select Uncle John branches
- Select Lawson branches
- Select LRT-1 merchants
Aside from reloading it, did you know that you can also pay for items with your beep card in some convenience stores? Convenience stores accept beep card payments if they have the beep logo on their doors and a card reader at the counter.
Need to grab a quick bite to survive those stressful commutes? Your beep card is here to save the day! Tap your card to order meals faster at select LRT-1 merchants like Master Siomai, Eng Bee Tin, Mister Donut, Turks, Waffle Time, and Potato Corner.
Read more: 8 Ways to Survive the MRT
How to Get a Beep Card
Beep cards are easily accessible to commuters in Metro Manila. Here are the different ways to get a beep card in the Philippines, whether you're buying your first card or replacing a lost or damaged one.
👉 Where to Buy a Beep Card
- Any LRT 1, LRT 2, and MRT 3 station (through the teller's booth or the self-service ticket vending machine)
- P2P Bus Terminals
- BGC Bus EDSA McKinley and Market! Market!
- Bonifacio Stopover
- One Ayala
- Nuvali
- Pilar
- Glorietta 3
- Makati Trassiera
- Alabang Town Center
- Starmall Alabang
- Greenbelt 1
- Starmall Shaw
- Select Partner Modern Jeepneys
- Cebu Topline Marina Ferries
If you don’t have the time to head to the places above to buy your card, here’s where to buy a beep card online:
- Official Lazada store
- Official Shopee store
- Official Facebook Marketplace store
- beep App Digital QR Ticket
Be wary of unauthorized merchants selling beep cards and merchandise such as charms, bracelets, and keychains. If you get caught using any of these, you will be blacklisted. Your counterfeit beep card or merchandise will be confiscated as well.[2]
Where to Buy a Beep Card with Design
Occasionally, limited-edition beep cards with unique designs are released for sale. These special cards get sold out fast, so buy one while stocks are still available.
However, you might still find these limited-edition beep cards in online stores. Depending on the design or its collectability, prepare to pay more than what you usually pay at train or bus stations.
Recently, National Museum-themed beep cards were released in line with Museum and Galleries Month in October 2023.[3] The museums featured on beep cards include:
- The National Museum of Fine Arts
- The National Museum of Anthropology
- The National Museum of Natural History
- The National Museum of the Philippines-Cebu
👉 How Much is a Beep Card?
The beep card price in train stations is ₱30, a one-time issuance fee per card. You can also buy outside the train stations for ₱130.
Your beep card is valid for four years, with the option to extend it for one more year. Visit beep Express Renewal terminals at all LRT1, LRT2, and MRT3 stations. Note that you'll have to pay a fee of ₱10.
How Do Beep Cards Work?
If you've ever traveled to Singapore, Hong Kong, or Taiwan, you're probably familiar with their smart cards for public transportation. The beep card works similarly to Singapore's EZ-Link card, HK's Octopus card, and Taiwan's EasyCard. It’s a bus, LRT, and MRT card in the Philippines.
👉 How to Use a Beep Card in the LRT
Make sure your beep card has sufficient balance first. Then tap your beep card on the card reader located at an access gate (with the beep logo) and wait for the reader to show your card details.
When you reach your destination, tap your beep card again on the reader at the turnstile as you leave the train station. Wait for the card reader to show your remaining balance before you exit.
👉 How to Use a Beep Card in the MRT
The beep card works the same way when you’re taking the MRT. Tap the card at the access gate before heading to the platform, and tap out before leaving the MRT station. Your remaining balance will also be displayed on the card reader.
👉 How to Use a Beep Card on the Bus
Before you ride a bus, ensure your card is topped up with the minimum fare amount.
Tap your card on the machine with the beep logo near the driver. The light will turn green to confirm a successful payment transaction. The amount deducted for your fare and the remaining balance will be shown on the small screen.
If you're riding a bus with a single destination and fixed fare, there’s no need to tap your card again before getting off at your destination. But if you're riding a bus with multiple destinations and distance-based fares, you should tap out with your beep card. It ensures your fare is deducted correctly from your card's balance.
Can Another Person Use My Beep Card?
You can let somebody else use your card if it's a standard type (the blue card). Standard beep cards are transferrable, meaning anyone holding the card can use them.
However, personalized beep cards such as concessionary cards (those issued to senior citizens and PWDs) and co-issued cards are for the exclusive use of the person whose name appears on a card.
How to Load a Beep Card
Here are the different ways you can load your beep card. Note that you can load up to ₱10,000.
👉 Through Teller Booths/Ticket Vending Machines
- All LRT 1, LRT 2, and MRT 3 stations
- Passenger terminals of transport partners
👉 Through Beep e-Load Stations
You can also 'fetch' your beep card load at e-load stations:
- MRT 3 stations
- LRT 1 stations
- LRT 2 stations
- P2P terminals
- BGC Bus terminals
- One Ayala Terminal
- LNC Transport Hub
- TAS Trans/San Agustin P2P terminals
- Pilar Las Pinas
- Nuvali Transport Terminal
- Glorietta 3 Makati
- Trasierra Terminal
- RRCG P2P terminals
- Alabang Town Center
- Starmall Alabang
- Starmall Shaw
- Greenbelt 1
👉 Through Digital Banking/E-Wallet Partners
beep has several digital banking and e-wallet partners. Here are just some of them:
BPI Online/Mobile App
- Access your online banking account via BPI Online or BPI Mobile App.
- Under the Payments or Load tab, select Load e-Wallet.
- Fill in the required details and choose an e-wallet.
- Confirm the transaction details.
- Enter your one-time PIN (OTP) for verification, and click Submit.
- Go to the nearest beep e-load station to verify your transaction and transfer the load to your card.
JustPayto
- Visit the JustPayto page[4] for beep reloading.
- Enter the 16-digit beep card number (found on the back of the card).
- Select your payment method.
- Select your load amount.
- Agree to the Terms and Conditions.
- Click the Pay Now button.
- Go to the nearest beep e-load station to verify your transaction and transfer the load to your card.
- Place your beep card on the slot and wait for your new balance to be displayed on the screen before removing it.
China Bank ATM
- Go to any China Bank ATM and insert your ATM/debit card into the slot.
- Enter your PIN.
- Choose beep Transactions then beep Reload.
- Key in the amount you want to load.
- Tap and hold your beep card on the designated area under the ATM screen when you hear a tone.
- Your card balance details will be displayed to confirm your successful transaction.
- Get your receipt and ATM card.
Maya
- Tap Treats from the homepage and select a beep card load package.
- Verify your purchase, then tap Continue.
- Wait for the purchase confirmation and then head to your nearest beep e-load station to tap your beep card and receive the load package.
👉 Through Partner Merchants
- Cebuana Lhuillier branches nationwide
- Venio partner sari-sari stores
What is The Beep App?
Download the beep app to register your beep card and check your load balance in real-time. Monitor your card transactions and purchase beep QR tickets in advance to conveniently pay for your trips.
With the new beep app, you can earn reward points whenever you tap to pay on trains, buses, PUVs, convenience stores, and anywhere the beep card is accepted. With every ₱1 you spend, you earn one point. Redeem ₱1 load for a minimum of 200 points.
You can also use your beep points to reload your beep card, purchase QR tickets, avail of special promos, and buy goods at participating outlets.
👉 How to Load Your Beep Card via the Beep App
Got an NFC-enabled Android phone? You can use it to load your beep card. Here are some android phones where you can load your beep card using their NFC feature:
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 11s/Redmi 10c
- Realme 8i and 9i
- Infinix Note 10 Pro
- Techno Pova 5G
- OnePlus Nord CE2
- Realme 9 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy A33
- Xiaomi Redmi 9
- POCO M4 Pro 5G
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy A32
- Realme 6i
- Samsung Galaxy A22
- OPPO A74
- OnePlus Nord N200 5G
- Google Pixel 4a
- Motorola One 5G Ace
Here's how to use your NFC-enabled phone to load your beep card via the app:
- Log in to your beep app on your smartphone.
- Go to Settings.
- Next, tap Buy beep Load.
- Key in the amount.
- Choose your payment partner (QR and e-wallets such as Maya, GCash, ShopeePay; debit/credit card; etc.).
- On the payment window, input your card details.
- Place your beep card against the back of your phone until the process is completed.
How to Check Your Beep Card Balance
There are easy ways to check the balance on your beep card:
- beep mobile app - Simply download the app and check your balance on the homepage.
- Ticket vending machines in any LRT/MRT station - Tap your card on the reader and wait for your balance information to be displayed
- Teller booths in any LRT/MRT station - Give your card to the teller and request to check your balance.
- Select terminals and stops of bus lines that accept beep cards - Approach the designated beep window or booth.
- Select Uncle John branches and LRT1 merchants that accept beep payments - Tap your card on the card reader.
Final Thoughts
Be on the lookout for special benefits for your beep card. For instance, you can get a GrabCar voucher worth ₱100 off or a MOVE IT voucher for a 50% discount capped at ₱40—just present your beep app and registered beep card at participating terminals and reload a minimum of ₱200.[5] Just keep your eyes peeled to enjoy more promos in the future!
To get updates on where to buy a beep card and other related questions, check out beep’s official website and subscribe to its official social media channels.[6]
Got questions or need help with your beep card? Call the beep customer hotline at (02) 8737-9600 or email customer.info@afpayments.com.
Sources:
- [1] Where to use beep?
- [2] DOTr warns against unauthorized beep card merchandise (GMA Network, 2023)
- [3] National Museum offers exclusive beep cards to conclude ‘Museum and Galleries Month’ (Interaksyon, 2023)
- [4] JustPayto Beep Card Reloading Page
- [5] beep partners with Grab and MOVE IT (Manila Bulletin, 2023)
- [6] beep on Facebook l Twitter l TikTok
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