Integrated ticketing

Integrated ticketing allows a person to make a journey that involves transfers within or between different transport modes with a single ticket that is valid for the complete journey,[1] modes being buses, trains, subways, ferries, etc. The purpose of integrated ticketing is to encourage people to use public transport by simplifying switching between transport modes and by increasing the efficiency of the services.

In most cases, integrated ticketing is made possible by electronic ticketing technologies such as magnetic stripe cards or smart cards. Some smart card systems are also used for paying for goods and other services such as the Octopus card.[2] Some public transport systems also use paper cash tickets that allow transfers within a specified area, and in some cases (such as the Transperth FamilyRider), allow unlimited travel during specified times.

Countries such as Switzerland have national integrated ticket systems, which not only extend across transport modes but can encompass entry into museums or leisure destinations.[3] The UK, Australia and Sweden use such systems on public transport in major cities or metropolitan areas.

Deploying integrated ticketing requires a high-level of coordination and co-operation between all public transport providers and the suppliers. Political, technological and project management issues have resulted in long delays in some cases. In Sydney the project has had to be restarted.[4] In Dublin, the system has also suffered serious delays from the project start date in 2002 but it is now nearing its launch date.[5] In Stockholm, the task of replacing the existing magnetic stripe cards system with smart cards is finally nearing completion after the project was started in 2002.[6]

Examples

Examples of integrated ticketing around the world:

Asia Pacific

Area Transport Authority System Name Ticket Type Operational Since Transport Types Comment
Adelaide Adelaide Metro Metrocard Smart card November 2012 Buses, trains & trams
Auckland Auckland Transport AT HOP card Smart card 27 October 2012 Buses, ferries & trains
Snapper HOP card Smart card 2011[7] Buses (NZ Bus-operated services only) To be phased out from April 2013.
Melbourne Public Transport Victoria myki Smart card 2009 Buses, trains & trams and restricted regional rail services Fully replaced the Metcard system in the Melbourne metro area in 2012
Perth Transperth [8] SmartRider Smart card January 2007 Buses, ferries & trains Replaced the MultiRider magnetic stripe card system. Paper tickets are also available. SmartRider is also available for use in Bunbury, Busselton, Geraldton & Kalgoorlie[9]
Singapore SMRT Corporation/SBS Transit EZ-Link card Smart card 2001 MRT (subway), bus, parking CEPAS-compliant EZ-Link cards have replaced original EZ-Link cards in 2009
South East Queensland TransLink[10] go card Smart card January 2008[11] Buses, ferries & trains
Sydney Transport for New South Wales Opal card Smart card December 2012 Buses, light rail, trains & trams

Europe

Area Transport Authority System Name Ticket Type Operational Since Transport Types Comment
Greater Dublin Area National Transport Authority Leap card[12] Smart card December 12, 2011 [13] Buses, trains, LUAS and the future Metro[14] Will also include commercial bus operators wishing to join the scheme.
Greater London TfL[15] Oyster card Smart card July 2003 Bus, tube, trams, DLR, London Overground & some National Rail services[15]
Greater Stockholm SL [16] Unknown Magnetic stripe card Unknown Buses, Metro, rail, tram, ferries Will be replaced by the SL Access smart card system.
Northern Ireland Translink[17] Smartlink Smart card October 2009 Bus In Belfast, Bus In Derry/Londonderry, Regional & Intercity Bus, Railways services[17]
Paris RATP/SNCF Navigo pass, Mobilis/Jeunes one-day tickets Smart card / magnetic ticket 2006 Subway, commuter rail (RER and Transilien), tramway, bus
Switzerland Swiss Federal Railways[18] Swiss Pass Magnetic stripe card 1989[19] Buses, trains, ships and tramways
Subotica Subotica-Trans[20] SuBus Smart card 2012 Buses

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Integrated Ticketing". Dublin Bus. 2008-02-07. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
  2. ↑ "Octopus Products". Octopus Cards Limited. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
  3. ↑ Example of combined ticket for entry into thermal spas, Valais, Switzerland.http://www.carpostal.ch/en/pag-startseite/pag-kundenservice/pag-postauto-in-ihrer-naehe/pag-wallis/pag-sparangebote-wallis.htm
  4. ↑ "Tcard: here we go again". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2008-07-03. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
  5. ↑ "Integrated ticket chaos". The Sunday Business Post Online. 2007-11-18. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
  6. ↑ "SL sjösatte försenat biljettsystem" (in Swedish). SvD. 2008-09-01. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
  7. ↑ "Auckland Integrated Fares System (AIFS) Programme". Auckland Regional Transport Authority. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
  8. ↑ "General Fare Information". Transperth. Retrieved 2009-10-23.
  9. ↑ Regional town services Transperth
  10. ↑ "go card". TransLink. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
  11. ↑ Phipps, Julia (2008-01-29). "TransLink GoCard finally launched". couriermail.com.au. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
  12. ↑ "Great Leap forward as commuter card unveiled". Independent.ie. 2011-06-11. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
  13. ↑ "Integrated ticketing card launched". Irishtimes.ie. 2011-12-12. Retrieved 2011-12-12.
  14. ↑ "Dublin Metro North and Metro West, Republic of Ireland". http://www.railway-technology.com. Retrieved 2009-07-24.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "What is Oyster?". Transport for London. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
  16. ↑ "Travelling with SL". Storstockholms Lokaltrafik. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
  17. ↑ "Swiss Travel System". Switzerland Travel Centre. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
  18. ↑ Furlaud, Alice (1991-09-29). "TRAVEL ADVISORY; City Rides Added To Swiss Pass". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-05-05.
  19. ↑ "Subotica-Trans". Subotica Trans. Retrieved 2014-07-15.