The Portuguese transit agency is moderinising its payment infrastructure and offering customer-centric payment options to increase public transport ridership.
Lisbon Metro (Metro de Lisboa) in Portugal is introducing contactless bank card payments with transit payments specialist Littlepay.
The operator is modernising its transit payment infrastructure with the aim of increasing the use of public transport in the city.
Customer-centric payment options
The transit agency wants to improve the passenger experience by offering more customer-centric payment options. For riders, this removes the need to plan ahead and calculate the best value ticket in advance, now they can just “tap and ride”, knowing they’ll only be charged the most advantageous fare based on their journeys.
Littlepay is providing the core transit payment service, in partnership with Indra for device validation, and Cybersource and Unicre for local acquiring services.
In preparation for this project, Littlepay integrated with ticketing hardware specialist Indra, as its devices were the preferred option for Metro de Lisboa. Littlepay offers a modular transit payments infrastructure that gives operators a wide choice of pre-integrated devices, however, new integrations can be coordinated if the customer requires it.
“Letting clients choose their own hardware is an integral part of what we do,” said Paul Griffin, head of commercial at Littlepay. “If an authority wants us to integrate with a specific validator or card reader, we are more than happy to do it. This keeps us flexible and gives transit authorities the freedom to personalise the infrastructure according to their needs.”
The system covers Metro de Lisboa’s entire metro network incorporating a total of 56 stations across all four metro routes. With an annual ridership of 173 million, this move leads to a seamless transit ticketing experience for locals, professionals and tourists.
Each single trip will cost €1.50, with a daily cap of €6.50. Riders will no longer have to pre-purchase a day pass, as their card will stop being charged once they reach the day ticket rate. For residents, business travellers and tourists, this eliminates the need to carry cash, download an app or buy paper tickets, as well as making journeys easier.
Metro de Lisboa is approaching its 75-year anniversary in 2024, and the modernisation of its ticketing system demonstrates its role as a pioneer for public transport in Portugal and Europe. Nowadays, customers expect to be able to pay with their cards everywhere, including public transit. Metro de Lisboa has anticipated this requirement and implemented a low-cost, modular solution to better service the modern rider.
“We’re confident the move to contactless EMV will improve the passenger experience across the metro network and even in the whole Lisbon transit, in the near future,” said Ariel Casado, regional manager of Western EU, Littlepay. “It’s been a fantastic journey, working with the Metro de Lisboa team in paving the way for more ticketing developments.”
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Quelle/Source: Smart Cities World, 29.06.2023
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