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 the Switzerland have national integrated ticket systems. 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 Auckland it has taken 10 years to implement the system[3] and 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]
The table shows some examples of integrated ticketing around the world.
Area | Transport Authority | System Name | Ticket Type | Operational Since | Transport Types | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sydney | STA[7] | AFC | Magnetic stripe card | 1988 | Buses, trains and ferries | Planned to be superseded by the Tcard smart card system. |
Switzerland | Swiss Federal Railways [8] | Swiss Pass | Magnetic stripe card | 1989[9] | Buses, trains, ships and tramways | |
Greater London | TfL[10] | Oyster card | Smart card | July 2003 | Bus, tube, trams, DLR, London Overground and some National Rail services[10] | |
Northern Ireland | Translink[11] | Smartlink | Smart card | October 2009 | Bus In Belfast, Bus In Derry/Londonderry, Regional & Intercity Bus, Railways services[11] | |
Melbourne | Metlink[12] | Metcard | Magnetic stripe card | May 1998 | Buses, trains and trams | Will be superseded by the myki smart card system. |
South East Queensland | TransLink[13] | go card | Smart card | January 2008[14] | Buses, trains and ferries | |
Auckland Region | ARTA | AIFS | Smart card | Planned Q3 2011 [3] | Buses, trains and ferries | It is expected that some level of Integrated Ticketing will operate for the Rugby World Cup 2011 |
Greater Dublin Area | Dublin Transport Authority [15] | Not decided[16] | Smart card | Planned Q4 2010 [17] | Buses, trains, LUAS and the future Métro[18] | |
Greater Stockholm | SL [19] | Unknown | Magnetic stripe card | Unknown | Buses, Metro, rail, tram, ferries | Will be replaced by the SL Access smart card system. |
Perth | Transperth [20] | SmartRider | Smart card | January 2007 | Buses, trains and ferries | Replaced the MultiRider magnetic stripe card system. Paper tickets are also available. SmartRider is also available for use in Geraldton. |
Paris | RATP/SNCF | Navigo pass, Mobilis/Jeunes one-day tickets | Smart card / magnetic ticket | 2006 | Subway, commuter rail (RER and Transilien), tramway, bus | Replaced the Carte Orange magnetic ticket system. One-day tickets are still magnetic. |
See also
References
- ^ "Integrated Ticketing". Dublin Bus. 2008-02-07. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
- ^ "Octopus Products". Octopus Cards Limited. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
- ^ a b "Auckland Integrated Fares System (AIFS) Programme". Auckland Regional Transport Authority. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
- ^ "Tcard: here we go again". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2008-07-03. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Integrated ticket chaos". The Sunday Business Post Online. 2007-11-18. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
- ^ "SL sjösatte försenat biljettsystem" (in Swedish). SvD. 2008-09-01. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Tickets". State Transit Authority of New South Wales. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
- ^ "Swiss Travel System". Switzerland Travel Centre. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
- ^ "TRAVEL ADVISORY; City Rides Added To Swiss Pass". The New York Times. 1991-09-29 accessdate=2009-05-15.
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(help) - ^ a b "What is Oyster?". Transport for London. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
- ^ a b {{cite web | title=What is Oyster? | url=http://www.translink.co.uk/
- ^ "Metcard: FAQs". Metlink. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
- ^ "go card". TransLink. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "TransLink GoCard finally launched". couriermail.com.au. 2008-01-29. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Integrated Smart Card Ticketing in the Greater Dublin Area". Transport 21. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
- ^ "Dublin Transport Development: Discussion with RPA". Parliamentary Debates. 2008-03-26. Retrieved 2009-05-12.
- ^ "Integrated Smart Card Ticketing in the Greater Dublin Area". Railway Procurement Agency. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
- ^ "Dublin Metro North and Metro West, Republic of Ireland". http://www.railway-technology.com. Retrieved 2009-07-24.
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- ^ "Travelling with SL". Storstockholms Lokaltrafik. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
- ^ "General Fare Information". Transperth. Retrieved 2009-10-23.