Public transport
Payments for public transport
Passengers tap the card they already carry and the fare is worked out for them. The open loop payments behind it run on the Switchio platform, from the validator in the vehicle to the acquirer.
Why open loop
Ticketing that gets out of the way.
Fare collection stops being a product the passenger has to understand and becomes something that happens in the background.
- No app, no ticket machinePassengers tap the EMV card or the wallet they already carry, so an occasional rider needs no account and no tariff knowledge.
- The fare is worked out after the tripAccount based ticketing calculates the best fare from the level of usage, instead of asking the passenger to pick the right ticket first.
- Lower cost of fare collectionOnce paper tickets go, so does the work around them: servicing ticket machines, printing tickets, and collecting and moving coins.
- Existing cards keep workingThe solution works next to Mifare and Desfire transport cards, so open loop can start without retiring the closed loop scheme.
How a trip is paid
Three steps from tap to settlement.
The passenger sees the first step. The other two happen on the platform.
Tap
The passenger taps a contactless bank card or a phone on a validator in the vehicle or at the station.
Fare calculation
Taps are grouped per passenger and the system works out the best fare for the day or the period.
Routing and settlement
The switch routes the transaction to the acquirer and settles it between the operator and the processor.
Live deployments
Cities already tapping.
Projects delivered with transport suppliers and system integrators. Valparaíso in Chile and Zlín in Czechia run on the same solution.
- RegensburgGermanyOpen loop ticketing with Krauth Technology and the acquirer Shift4.
- SchweinfurtGermanykrauth kt 0345 validators with an integrated EMV reader.
- TychyPolandDelivered with Asseco Data Systems, including the CRE10 reader software.
- KaunasLithuaniaContactless ticketing across the city transit system.
- LjubljanaSloveniaLPP reports higher ridership and very few declines.
- Ventura CountyUnited StatesFirst contactless open loop fares in the county, with Enghouse.
References
The stories behind the stops.
How each city went from a pilot to open loop fares on every bus, told by the operators.
Card payments without signal on Czech trains
České dráhy is deploying offline payment functionality across all portable ticketing terminals used by train managers and conductors. When a train passes through an area without mobile signal, the card payment completes on the device and synchronizes as soon as connectivity returns.
Ventura County’s first open-loop fare system
A new era of public transit has begun in California with the launch of Ventura County’s first fully contactless open-loop fare payment system, made possible through the successful cooperation between Switchio and Enghouse Transportation.
Contactless payment for public transport in Szczecin
Passengers in Szczecin pay bus and tram fares with contactless bank cards, phones and wearables. GMV delivered the card reading hardware, Switchio the certified cEMV payment application and gateway connected to Elavon.
FAQ
Open loop ticketing, answered.
What transport operators ask before the first line goes live.
What is open loop ticketing?
Open loop means the passenger pays with a bank card or a wallet issued by any bank, not with a card issued by the transport operator. The validator reads the EMV card and the fare is charged to that card.
Does the passenger need an app or an account?
No. The passenger taps the card and boards. Account based ticketing groups the taps and charges the best fare, so nothing has to be selected in advance.
Can open loop run next to our current transport cards?
Yes. The solution is compatible with Mifare and Desfire transport cards, so the existing scheme keeps working while open loop is added.
Talk to Us
Connect with our mobility team.
Share your current setup with us, and we’ll map out how it looks on one streamlined platform.
Prefer email? Write to info@switchio.com
