FAIRTIQ’s Global Rail Pilots: Slovakia, UK, & Norway

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Introduction

FAIRTIQ, a mobile pay-as-you-go (MPAYG) ticketing company, has launched smart ticketing pilots in Slovakia, the UK, and Norway. These pilots aim to simplify travel, improve the passenger experience, and establish new benchmarks for equitable and accessible public transport.

Slovakia Pilot

In Slovakia, FAIRTIQ partnered with ZSSK, the national railway operator, to launch the first nationwide MPAYG pilot encompassing the entire domestic rail network. This one-year pilot will cover tourist-favorite lines such as the Tatra Electric Railway and the Cogwheel Railway. Passengers will benefit from the convenience of starting and ending journeys with a single swipe, eliminating the need to pre-select routes or zones. This marks FAIRTIQ’s inaugural partnership with a Central and Eastern European national rail service, building on a prior regional introduction in the Czech Republic. The trial will also provide anonymised data on passenger travel behaviour, aiding ZSSK in refining its offerings while strictly adhering to data protection regulations. ZSSK CEO Peter Helexa said: “More than 52% of our customers already use digital services to purchase tickets via mobile or online platforms. FAIRTIQ is therefore a natural continuation for us on the path toward simpler and more convenient train travel.”

UK Pilot

In the UK, a nine-month digital PAYG (DPAYG) ticketing trial will be launched on the Sheffield–Doncaster route in South Yorkshire to make rail travel more accessible and straightforward. This initiative, part of the UK government’s Plan for Rail reform, is a collaboration between FAIRTIQ, the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), Northern Trains, TransPennine Express, and Arriva CrossCountry. The trial will involve up to 1,000 travellers utilising the FAIRTIQ application to initiate and conclude their trips with a simple swipe, while ensuring they are charged the most advantageous fare automatically. This pilot programme will collect crucial insights from users to shape the direction of ticketing systems in the UK. FAIRTIQ UK market lead Steve Broadley said: “We are delighted to bring FAIRTIQ’s proven, modern, multimodal technology to the UK rail network. By removing complexity from ticketing, we can make it easier and more appealing for people to use public transport – benefiting passengers, operators, and the environment.”

Norway Pilot

In Norway, FAIRTIQ is set to launch the country’s first distance-based fare pilot, in partnership with Brakar, the public transport authority for Buskerud County. This one-year pilot, running on all Brakar lines in Lier, Drammen, and Øvre Eiker, will replace the traditional zone system with a fare model based on the actual distance travelled. Passengers will simply swipe in the FAIRTIQ app to join, and the results will influence fare strategies in Norway and potentially inspire similar projects nationwide. Brakar CEO Terje Sundfjord said: “Today’s zone system is often perceived as unfair. We have been tasked by the Buskerud County Council to explore new pricing models. Distance-based payment was a natural next step.”

Additional Information

FAIRTIQ’s partnerships in Slovakia, Norway, and the UK come after successful implementations in Switzerland, Germany, France, Denmark, Italy, Liechtenstein, Sweden, Austria, and the Czech Republic. The company also ensures compliance with GDPR, using location data strictly for fare calculation from journey start to end.

Conclusion

FAIRTIQ is launching pilots in Slovakia, the UK, and Norway to simplify travel through mobile pay-as-you-go ticketing. These pilots aim to enhance passenger experience and establish new benchmarks for public transport.

Company Summary

FAIRTIQ: A mobile pay-as-you-go (MPAYG) ticketing company.

ZSSK: The national railway operator in Slovakia.

Rail Delivery Group (RDG): Involved in the UK pilot.

Northern Trains: Involved in the UK pilot.

TransPennine Express: Involved in the UK pilot.

Arriva CrossCountry: Involved in the UK pilot.

Brakar: The public transport authority for Buskerud County in Norway.

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