Public transport is a sector where the benefits of contactless are sizeable and clear. They include frictionless travel and reduced queues, fare optimisation and flexibility, reduced cash handling.

With contactless, passengers are able to board quickly with a tap, without the need to buy tickets beforehand. What is more, taps are registered and the best possible fare or a daily cap can be applied prior to billing. Changes to these offers can be done via a centralised back office, allowing for greater flexibility and fast response times.

Increasingly, transport operators are integrating schemes such as ITSO and Calypso alongside EMV contactless payments. This setup allows for passengers to use smart ticketing as well as pay with a tap of a bank card. uCrypto features built-in logic designed for handling multiple standards.

Model 1 – Fixed fare. А contactless card or smartphone is used at the start of the journey with a known fare. A single tap triggers a single transaction. Also known as “retail mode”, essentially replacing cash.

Model 2 – Aggregated. This allows more complex pricing, such as different fares depending on travel zones or a cap on fares over a certain time period. Transactions take place at the end of a defined period (such as the end of the day) and not at the start of the journey.

Model 3 – Pre purchase. No transaction takes place as contactless is used as authority to travel, associating passengers with their pre-purchased tickets. This model is suited to higher value multi-mode services.