Following completion of a joint interoperability improvement project between Scottish public transport operators, all 16 types of travel smartcards can now be used between transport modes in Scotland.
According to the National Entitlement Card Programme Office, Young Scot and Transport Scotland, one smartcard now works across multiple modes of transport and multiple transport operators.
While contactless debit card or mobile payment is used for single or return journeys on many transport modes across Scotland, smartcards can currently allow for more complicated ticketing products such as weekly or monthly passes.
The improvement aims to make the process for people who use smart ticketing on public transport easier and reduce the number of plastic smartcards produced for smart ticketing travel.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson welcomed the completion of the interoperability project.
Matheson said: “Our ambition has always been to see that some form of smart ticketing or payment can be used for all journeys across our public transport network. The interoperability improvement project is a fantastic step forward to achieving our vision for smart ticketing across Scotland.
“To tackle the climate emergency, improve our air quality and to benefit our health and wellbeing, we need to see less single-occupancy car trips and more sustainable journeys being made by walking, cycling and shared or public transport.
“By making ticketing for public transport simpler, we make it easier for passengers to use multiple-modes of travel with one smartcard instead of two or three. I’m confident this new convenience will be welcomed by customers right across Scotland.”
A new website has also been launched with information about Scotland’s smart ticketing, mobile ticket apps and contactless payment options. The website provides a how-to guide for smart services in passengers’ area as well as links to operators, travel planning services and a guide for available smartcards.
