Railway and public transport ticketing news – Page 7
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NewsComments sought on RENFE ticketing commitments
SPAIN: The European Commission has invited comments on commitments offered by national operator RENFE to address concerns over its alleged refusal to supply rival ticketing platforms with train information and real-time data. In April the Commission opened a formal investigation into whether RENFE may have restricted ...
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NewsRail Online adds Amtrak and VIA Rail to ticket sales platform
NORTH AMERICA: Ticket retailer Rail Online has added Amtrak and VIA Rail services to its booking platform. Rail Online offers the same prices as tickets bought directly through the operators, with instant refunds on e-tickets and payment in US or Canadian dollars. ‘Following a successful launch ...
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In depthFrance: Making the switch to digital tickets in Ile-de-France
Public transport in the Ile-de-France area is switching to digital ticketing, reports Jérémie Anne.
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Metro Report InternationalTechnical updates applied to Calypso ticketing ecosystem
INTERNATIONAL: Ticketing standards body the Calypso Networks Association has announced technical updates intended to enhance trust, reliability and accessibility. Calypso Basic has been launched to offer a low-cost secure contactless ticket, avoiding magnetic stripes, barcodes, QR codes and proprietary solutions to cater for more occasional ...
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NewsRENFE to provide third party access to travel data
SPAIN: National operator RENFE has agreed to provide third party ticket retailers with access to real-time ticketing and train running information which is currently only available through its own platforms. On May 19 RENFE met with the UNAV travel agency association which has 120 full members. ...
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NewsRetail group offers staff discounted Deutschlandticket
GERMANY: REWE is the first company to sign a national framework agreement with Deutsche Bahn enabling the retail and tourism group’s 150 000 staff to use the Deutschlandticket as a Jobticket employer-subsidised season ticket. REWE Group employees can now buy a monthly Deutschlandticket for €34·30 rather ...
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Metro Report InternationalBank card payment in next Victoria Myki ticketing contract
AUSTRALIA: Conduent Business Services and its partner Convergint have been awarded a contract to operate Victoria’s Myki public transport ticketing system for 15 years from December 1 2023.
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Rail Business UKLNER to expand single-leg ticket pricing
UK: LNER has announced the roll-out of single-leg pricing across all journeys where it manages the pricing, with tickets going on sale from May 14 for travel from June 11. The operator said this would make ticketing ‘simpler and more flexible’. Anytime Single, Off-Peak/Super Off-Peak Single ...
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Rail Business UKNo fee promise as ‘nimble and ambitious’ challenger enters rail ticketing market
UK: ‘This is the perfect time for a nimble and ambitious player to challenge the status quo’ says James Dunne, CEO of Australian company Rail Online which has announced its entry into the National Rail ticket retailing market with a platform offering no booking fees and automated aftersales functions.
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NewsEuropean Commission investigates possible anticompetitive practices in online rail ticketing
SPAIN: The European Commission has opened a formal investigation to assess whether national incumbent RENFE may have abused its dominant position in the passenger rail market by refusing to supply all ticketing information and real-time data to rival retailing platforms. RENFE sells tickets offline and online ...
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Rail Business UKSeatfrog secures £6m investment for European expansion
UK: Ticketing app developer Seatfrog has secured £6m of investment to support planned expansion across Europe. The growth funding round was backed by investors Pembroke, Praetura and Octopus Ventures, and advised by FinnCap’s Private Growth Capital team. Seatfrog launched in 2018, initially offering a way for ...
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NewsBrightline to deploy S3 Passenger inventory and reservation system
USA: Florida private sector passenger operator Brightline is to deploy the S3 Passenger inventory, ticketing and reservation platform from Siemens Mobility subsidiary Sqills. This intended to support the operator as it prepares to launch to services to Orlando, enabling it to manage and maximise seat utilisation ...
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Metro Report InternationalParis in Olympic sprint to install ticket machines
FRANCE: Paris transport operator RATP has awarded Flowbird a contract to supply 100 ticket vending machines, with a tight deadline for installation at metro stations and tram stops ahead of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games which are expected to bring large numbers of visitors to ...
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Metro Report InternationalHong Kong ticket gates modernised ahead of contactless launch
CHINA: MTR Corp is spending more than HK$1·3bn to upgrade Hong Kong’s automatic fare collection systems as part of a long-term asset renewal plan. Work has begun to install more than 2 400 ticket gates being supplied by a joint venture of ...
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Rail Business UKIndependent train ticket retailers call for level playing field
UK: Attracting new customers to rail requires ‘simplifying ticketing, creating a level playing field that encourages competition, and embracing the private sector to drive down costs’, Chair of the Independent Rail Retailers association Alistair Lees has told the All-Party Parliamentary Rail Group. On March 13, MPs ...
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Metro Report InternationalCaring for Dementia programme uses transport smart cards to find missing people
CHINA: Hong Kong’s MTR Corp has launched a Caring for Dementia programme, adding functions to its fare collection system which alert staff if a missing person is detected in the network. The Octopus smart card numbers of missing persons with dementia can be entered into the ...
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Rail Business UKVirgin offers ‘sticking plaster’ split tickets in the absence of fares reform
UK: A split ticket function has been added to the Virgin Trains Ticketing booking app, but the company says this is intended as stopgap ‘while passengers and the rail industry wait for long overdue fare reforms’. Virgin Trains Ticketing is part of Virgin Red, Virgin’s group-wide ...
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Metro Report InternationalMultiple passengers can travel with one ticketing app
TICKETING: Fairtiq is rolling out a function on its check-in/assisted check-out ticketing app allowing multiple people to travel together. This follows frequent customer requests, and will enable groups such as families with children to travel on one ticket. The ‘companion mode’ was tested in Switzerland and ...
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Metro Report InternationalCalypso ticketing guides aim to ensure scalability, interoperability and vendor independence
TICKETING: Contactless ticketing body the Calypso Networks Association has published a handbook describing the role, content and governance of its smart ticketing standards, along with a guide to support transport authorities and operators in drafting tenders for cards, NFC mobile ticketing and terminals. CNA was established ...
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Rail Business UKSuperfare ticket trials aims to attract flexible travellers to rail
UK: Avanti West Coast is trialling a low-price Superfare ticket, aimed at people who can be more flexible with their journeys and who would not normally opt to travel by train. Superfare prices London – Birmingham £12 London – ...