Stagecoach Group pilots bus-rail smart ticketing scheme
19 March, 2012
category: Contactless, Smart Cards, Transit
Stagecoach Group in the UK has launched a multi-modal ticketing scheme to enable passengers to travel by bus and rail using a single commercial smart card.
The ticketing pilot in Basingstoke, Hampshire includes travel on South West Trains and Stagecoach South buses. It involves a small number of South West Trains season ticket holders travelling between Basingstoke and any smartcard enabled station outside the London area.
In compliance with the Government-preferred ITSO (Integrated Transport Smartcard Organization) technology, passengers simply wave their StagecoachSmart travel card over readers on the bus, at ticket gates or on rail platforms.
The announcement comes shortly after Transport Secretary Justine Greening launched the Government’s rail strategy, which included a vision for smart ticketing inter-operable with other forms of public transport. The integrated bus-rail pilot will be gradually expanded in the months ahead to include more passengers and further areas.