Key takeout
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Commuters of all kinds can earn points in a variety of transport modes.
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Check your credit card to see exactly what transit modes you’re covering.
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Add a transit app to your phone for easy contactless payments.
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Can you mix the methods you get from point A to point B and beyond? Consider adding a transit-friendly credit card to your wallet. There are many different cards that allow cardholders to earn more points, miles and cashback due to a variety of transit options, from trains to parking and ride sharing.
| Card name | Transportation Revenue Rate | Expense Category | Annual fees |
| American Express Green Card®* | 3x | Trains, taxis, ride-sharing, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, subways | $150 |
| American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card | 3% cashback | Trains, taxis, ride-sharing services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, subways | 1st year $0 intro annual fee, $95. |
| Bank of America® Customized Cash Reward Credit Card | 3% cashback | Bus, ride-sharing, taxis, passenger rail, tolls (select “Travel” category) | $0 |
| Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | 2x | All purchases | $95 |
| Chase SapphirePreferred® Card | 2x | Buy travel categories such as trains, buses, taxis, limousines, ferries, toll bridges, highways and more | $95 |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® | 3x | General trips (after earning $300 travel credits) including trains, buses, taxis, limousines, ferries, toll bridges, highways, parking and garages | $550 |
| City Custom Cash® Card* | 5% cashback top spend category, up to $500 per billing cycle | Ferries, commuter rail, subway, taxis, limousines, auto services, passenger rail, bridge and road tolls, parking/garages, bus lines (“select” category) | $0 |
| Amtrak Guest Rewards®Preferred MasterCard®* | 2x-3x | Amtrack Travel (3x); Transit, Travel, Rideshare Purchase (2x) | $99 |
| Amtrak Guest Rewards®MasterCard®* | 2x | Travelling to Amtrak | $0 |
| US Bank Cash+®VisaSignature® Card* | 5% cashback in two select categories | Trains, ride-sharing, buses, taxis, ferries, carcing, ferries, light rails, subways (“Ground Transport” category) | $0 |
| Wells FargoAttuneâ„ Card* | 4% cashback | Buses, trains, commuter transport, ferries and other “planet-friendly purchases” | $0 |
General Transport Categories
Each card issuer has its own way of defining what falls within the transport category. For example, Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Credit Cards offer cashback for public transport, including buses, subways and light rails. The American Express and Chase card counts all ferries as transits, along with the US banks Cash+ and Wells Fargo Attune cards.
The best credit card for transit covers many modes and offers a generous definition of transportation. Whether you are using it at home or while traveling, cards that offer high points and miles for transportation can help you accumulate points, miles and cashback.
If you’re commuting via train, the Chase Sapphire is preferred, and the spare is a solid option, offering triple the train. Those using buses, trains, commuter transport or ferries may prefer the 4% cashback offered by the Wells Fargo Asson Card. Don’t want to worry about juggling in different categories and transit modes? Capital One Venture Card offers flat twice as many times as you like for every purchase, including transit.
Of all credit cards that earn points and miles on the pass fee, the City Custom Cash Card with no annual fee covers the 10 most comprehensive transit modes. Pair with City Strata Premium Card Can be maximized Citi®ThankYou®Rewards Key Categories Revenue and Redemption Point Points City Travel Site Site.
Amtrak and train commute
I’ve always been a train fan. I am a regular Amtrak user from Baltimore to Washington, DC, Philadelphia and New York City. We also used Mid-Atlantic commuters, including Maryland Railroad Commuters, Southeastern Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, New Jersey Transit, Long Island Railroad Road, and MetroNorth Railroad.
If you are a regular Amtrak or rail commuter, your points may be added up during your trip. The Amtrak Card makes sense for those living in the northeast corridor on the east coast, ranging from Washington, DC to Boston. The Amtrak service has a wealth of solid schedules for customers, including the popular high-speed train Acela.
However, Amtrak’s services are uneven on long distance routes outside the northeast, and schedules are less robust. So, if you’re not planning to spend more than $3,000 on your Amtrak trip or onboard purchase, consider a card other than the Amtrak Guest Rewards recommendation or the Amtrak Guest Rewards card.
Public and commuter buses
This transit category includes public, commuters, charters and tour buses. Not only is the bus convenient for commuting to and from work, it also makes it a way to circulate when traveling for business or pleasure. You can also earn points, miles, or cashback by traveling by bus.
From AC Transit in the San Francisco Bay Area to Miami-Dade Metro Bus, more public and commuter buses across the US offer free Wi-Fi and allow you to stay connected (like Tiktok Videos?). Tour and charter buses are usually equipped with reclining seats, toilets, Wi-Fi, power outlets and free movies.
Subway and light rail
I am blessed with living in the San Francisco Gulf Coast and Washington, DC/Baltimore area. Metro and light rail systems around the world allow customers to make contactless payments for vehicles using smartphones connected to credit cards.
Taxi, ride-sharing, limousines and other auto services
This category includes taxis, ride-sharing, limousines, zip cars and car rentals. All of these are convenient modes of transportation, whether you’re at home or out of town, and you can all pay with a credit card. Taxi, ride-share, and ZIPCAR allow you to use your smartphone to pay for the service. If you have elite status with a car rental company – you can earn via or earn a credit card, add a credit card to your account, skip long lines and pick up your car, and prepare your final invoice upon return.
Parking, tolls, ferries
Metropolitan areas like Washington, DC/Baltimore are packed with parking, road tolls and bridge fares. If you use it regularly, connect your credit card to Autopay to cover your costs.
For example, I use Maryland to pay road and bridge tolls not only in this area, but also in 20 other states and metropolitan areas west from Maine to North Carolina, Illinois and Kentucky. I have loaded my credit card on the E-ZPass website and have a balance of $25 in my account. If it’s under $10, Autopay will automatically rebalance the balance to $25.
When I commute from Baltimore by train in Washington, DC, I bought a pass every month and used my car to cover the fees. With Florida’s Sunpass, you can also use a transponder to pay for parking at airports in the state.
According to the information website Ferrygogo, scheduled ferry services are offered on 37 states and around 350 routes in the US or near the US. 200 companies around the world serve planned routes. All apps on the market, such as Clipper Cards in California, NYC Ferries, and Ferry Scanners for International Docks, connect to your credit card for contactless payments.
Conclusion
If you are not married to a car at home or while traveling, the transit option is not only a convenient way to earn points, miles, or cashback when paying using a transit-friendly credit card.
Check out more travel tips and tips Bankrate’s Travel Tool Kit.
Bank of America content for this post was last updated on May 31, 2025.
*Information on American Express Green Card, City Custom Cash Card, Amtrak Guest Rewards Priority Mastercard, Amtrak Guest Rewards Mastercard, US Bank Cash + Visa Signature Card, and Wells Fargo Are Tune Card were collected independently by Bankrates. Card details have not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.