This question is about public transit in Chicago. According to https://www.transitchicago.com/passes/, it is possible to load a CTA unlimited ride pass on a contactless bank card. This seems like a good alternative to getting a Ventra card, but there isn't a lot of information as to how this actually works.
I am assuming that I can purchase a pass at a vending machine and choose an appropriate option to load it on a contactless card. It would ask me to tap my bank card; and then I can tap my card at a turnstile to ride transit as long as the pass is valid.
Is that how it works?
Are there the right kind of vending machines at the Midway Airport L station?
When I board transit, is there a way to check that it accepted my pass rather than charging a new fare to my card?
Can this be used with Apple Pay instead of a physical contactless card?
Is it necessary to have an online Ventra account for any of this to work?
