Lyft Customers Can Now Pay With Venmo — and Split the Fare With Other Riders Once Again

Rideshare app Lyft is now partnering with Venmo to make it easier for passengers to pay for their trip or split the cost of a ride with others, the company shared with Travel + Leisure.

The partnership announced on Thursday, allows customers to authorize payment through their existing Venmo balance or linked payment method, according to Lyft. Passengers can then split the ride with friends through Venmo's app.

The decision to partner with Venmo comes after Lyft removed its "Split Pay" option in 2018 after initially offering it since 2014, Insider reported.

In order to use Venmo to pay for rides, customers have to first authorize the app as a payment method in the Lyft app. Only one account can be linked at a time. To then split the fare, passengers will have to find the transaction in their Venmo payment feed and pick the person to split the cost with.

Lyft will start rolling out the new feature this month and plans to make it available to all U.S. customers in the coming weeks.

"At Lyft we're always thinking of ways to enhance the rider experience," Ashwin Raj, the company's vice president of product, told T+L. "Adding Venmo as a payment option provides a trusted, seamless way to split and pay for rides. Especially during this upcoming holiday season, we're making sure it's easy and convenient for riders to split fares so they can focus on moving about safely with family members and close friends."

According to Lyft, customers will also be able to use Venmo to pay for bike or scooter rides with the company.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lyft has implemented several safety protocols, including mandating drivers and riders wear masks, requiring both parties to agree to a Personal Health Certification, and providing cleaning supplies to drivers.

Lyft isn't alone in giving passengers a way to split fares: fellow rideshare app Uber allows customers to split the bill within the company's app.

Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.