Public transport users in Sofia can now make contactless fare payments across the Bulgarian capital’s metro system by tapping their contactless credit or debit card or NFC mobile wallet on a reader installed on station turnstiles... More
Metro
Moscow Metro to roll out biometric ticketing across entire network
Moscow Metro is to enable passengers travelling on all the Russian capital’s metro lines to make contactless payments for their fare at station turnstiles using its FacePay biometric ticketing system... More
Shanghai to let residents use digital health code to pay public transport fares
Residents of the Chinese city of Shanghai will soon be able to scan their Suishenma digital ID and health QR code to pay for their fares on buses, ferries and metro services, the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government has announced... More
Moscow Metro to roll out digital Troika transit card
Moscow Metro has launched the final phase of testing of a digital version of the Troika transit card that enables passengers with Android smartphones to pay their fares on metro, bus, tram and local train services by tapping their device at a turnstile or validator... More
Sofia rolls out open loop contactless ticketing on public transport network
Passengers on buses, trams and trolleybuses in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia can now pay their fares by simply tapping their physical contactless credit or debit card or a digital card uploaded to their NFC mobile wallet on an on-board reader... More
Sofia rolls out single journey QR mobile tickets across public transportation network
Public transport users in Sofia can now buy and store single journey QR code e-tickets on their mobile device which they can validate for travel on metro, bus, tram and trolleybus services across the Bulgarian capital’s transit network... More
Stockholm rolls out contactless ticketing payments
Passengers using public transport across the Swedish capital of Stockholm can now make tokenized contactless payments for single adult fares on metro, rail, bus, tram and boat services by tapping their debit or credit card or smartphone at a ticket reader... More
Turin rolls out contactless payments on bus and subway services
Travellers using the subway and selected bus services in the Italian city of Turin can now pay for their rides by tapping on and off public transportation using a Visa or Mastercard contactless card or their NFC phone... More
Juniper: Mobility-as-a-Service revenues to exceed $52bn by 2027
The impact of the coronavirus pandemic “will restrict the growth of MaaS platforms in 2020”, a new forecast from Juniper Research predicts, but MaaS initiatives “will rebound quickly in 2021 as cities re-evaluate their transport strategies”... More
Contactless payments expand to Miami bus services
Miami-Dade County’s Department of Transportation and Public Works has rolled out support for contactless payments across its Metrobus fleet, making it possible for commuters to use contactless cards and NFC mobile phones to pay for both bus and rail fares across Miami, the sixth most densely populated city in the US... More
Uber to add Delhi Metro transit tickets to mobile app
Uber users in Delhi can now use the app to plan journeys on the Delhi Metro and on local bus services — and will soon be able to purchase train tickets from within the Uber app as well... More
Transport for NSW launches Opal Connect transportation payments platform
Australia’s Transport for NSW has introduced Opal Connect, a new service that aims to become “a one stop shop for all transport transactions and information, whether it is public transport, rideshare, taxis, parking and even tolling”... More
Dubai to launch virtual Nol transit card in 2020
Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority is to introduce a mobile version of its Nol transit card next year, enabling both tourists and local residents to use their NFC phones to travel on metro, tram, bus and maritime public transportation services... More
MTA: 80% of Omny users paid with an NFC phone on launch weekend
More than 10,000 people tapped into MTA’s contactless payments this weekend — Crain’s New York Business — “The authority anticipated it would register between 6,000 and 12,000 tap-ins per week under the pilot for the system… About 6,100 people paid through Omny in the subway on Saturday and another 4,400 on Sunday. The MTA said about 80% of Omny payments last weekend came through phones.”
New York MTA begins testing mobile wallet-based ticketing
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has started final testing of a new contactless ticketing system which it announced in 2017... More
Delhi Metro to add biometrics to ticketing gates?
Biometric scans for discounted metro rides in Delhi — The Times of India — “In the new fare collection system, it will be possible to issue smart cards to individuals with their biometric data stored in them, ensuring that only they could use the card and not anyone else. Commuters, who will be provided concession on metro fares, need to get their finger scanned while entering or exiting a metro station, to ensure that only genuine commuters get the benefit of the concession.”
Boston to begin move to contactless ticketing ‘in late 2019’
T automated fare collection system expected to be completed by May 2021 — Curbed — “The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority expects to complete the T’s switch to an automated fare collection system by May 2021, but will begin rolling it out on a limited basis in late 2019… Riders will use a fare card, a smartphone app, or a contactless card to tap and board. Riders will be able to reload the fare cards and apps online and at vending machines in all T stations and at select bus stops.”
Tokyo Metro tests rewards program for transit card holders who avoid peak travel times
Tokyo Metro aims to ease morning rush hour overcrowding — with free soba and tempura — The Japan Times — “Tozai Line passengers who register with the campaign will be eligible to receive coupons that can be used at Metro An, a soba noodle shop affiliated with the subway operator… Users need to sign up to Tokyo Metro’s early-rising campaign for Tozai Line passengers and register their IC card information beforehand… To participate in the initiative they need to go through the ticket gate before a certain time of the morning, which depends on the station.”
Network West Midlands integrates its transit card with Google Pay
UK regional transportation operator Network West Midlands is piloting a new service that lets its Swift transit card holders store their cards in Google Pay, enabling Android NFC phone owners to tap on to West Midlands Metro trams without needing to first open an app or select their Swift card... More
Beijing to pilot face recognition payments at railway ticketing barriers
Facial recognition ticket gates to be introduced this year — Metro Report International — “The gates offer two operating modes. In the first, a passenger’s photo is stored on a physical ticket, and when the passenger touches in at the ticket gate this photo is compared with a live image… In the other mode, a live image is compared with a photo previously uploaded to a database, so no physical ticket is needed. This offers operators the ability to block specified people from entering the network.”