Latest news with #farepayment
Japan Times
29-06-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Railway firms diversify ticket gate access methods
Railway companies in Japan are increasingly expanding fare payment options, offering passengers more diverse ways to pass through station ticket gates. In addition to prepaid transportation integrated circuit (IC) cards, such as Suica and Pasmo, a growing number of railway operators are introducing contactless credit card payments. Some routes have also started adopting facial recognition systems for gate access. With the number of overseas visitors on the rise, railway companies are seeking to enhance passenger convenience through more accessible services. Transportation IC cards have become widely used across Japan since East Japan Railway (JR East) introduced Suica in 2001. JR East and other railway companies in the Tokyo metropolitan area are now also promoting mobile IC cards available through smartphone apps. Meanwhile, in response to the growing number of visitors to Japan since the COVID-19 pandemic, more railway operators have introduced boarding systems that accept contactless credit card payments. These systems allow passengers to pass through ticket gates by simply tapping an international brand credit card, with the fare charged later. Tokyu and Seibu Railway are among the operators that now accept contactless credit card payments alongside conventional transportation IC cards. "To capture inbound demand, we need a system that's easy for travelers to use," an official from a railway company in a rural area said. These initiatives aim not only to make travel more convenient by eliminating the need to purchase tickets, but also to help address staffing shortages at stations. Keisei Electric Railway's AI facial recognition boarding service at Keisei Ueno Station in Tokyo. The firm launched the system on its Skyliner limited express line in January. | Jiji In addition, some routes have introduced a service that uses facial recognition technology for ticket gate access. In January, Keisei Electric Railway launched the system on its Skyliner limited express line, which connects Narita International Airport and Ueno in Tokyo. In March, Osaka Metro introduced a similar system, allowing passengers to pass through gates using only facial recognition, provided that they purchase and register digital tickets in advance. The initiative came ahead of the 2025 Osaka Expo. While many railway operators currently accept transportation IC cards and conventional paper tickets alongside newly introduced boarding systems, not all maintain IC card infrastructure. In November last year, five public transportation companies in Kumamoto Prefecture, including Kumamotodentetsu, stopped accepting nationwide transportation IC cards such as Suica, citing the high cost of replacing aging equipment. Instead, they are shifting toward contactless credit card payment systems. On the other hand, JR East, which promotes the Suica card, has no plans to adopt contactless credit card payments. In its 10-year Suica strategy announced in December last year, the company outlined plans to evolve Suica into "a device for daily life," expanding its role beyond transportation and payments. The goal is to create a broader economic ecosystem by leveraging data collected through Suica usage in areas beyond the railway sector, including administrative services through integration with the My Number social security and taxation ID system. JR East also plans to introduce facial recognition technology at ticket gates while maintaining compatibility with the Suica platform. Yuki Fukumoto, head of the financial research office at NLI Research Institute, predicts that railway operators will continue to seek a balance between passenger convenience and maintenance costs. "Railway companies must consider not only how to meet local travel demand, including that of the elderly, but also ensure business continuity in providing services," he said.
CTV News
14-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Last chance to use TTC tokens and tickets fast approaching
Time is running out to use TTC tokens, tickets and day passes before they're phased out for good. The so-called legacy fares will no longer be accepted as of June 1, as the transit agency leans into more modern methods of payment, like PRESTO, debit and credit cards, and Apple Pay. The deadline was originally slated for Dec. 31, 2024, but the timeline was pushed back at a TTC board meeting to give customers more time to use the fares, as refunds, exchanges or credits are not being offered. The TTC has said that the number of customers who use TTC tokens, tickets and day passes is 'extremely low' with less than one per cent paying with legacy fares. 'The TTC has been working to modernize fare payment across the system and looking for ways to save lost revenue through fare evasion,' the TTC said in a post on its website. TTC tokens have been around since 1954, but the transit agency stopped selling them, as well as tickets and day passes, at stations in 2019. Customers can still use cash to access the TTC at station fare boxes, and on buses and streetcars.
CTV News
14-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Last chance to use TTC tokens and tickets fast approaching
Time is running out to use TTC tokens, tickets and day passes before they're phased out for good. The so-called legacy fares will no longer be accepted as of June 1, as the transit agency leans into more modern methods of payment, like PRESTO, debit and credit cards, and Apple Pay. The deadline was originally slated for Dec. 31, 2024, but the timeline was pushed back at a TTC board meeting to give customers more time to use the fares, as refunds, exchanges or credits are not being offered. The TTC has said that the number of customers who use TTC tokens, tickets and day passes is 'extremely low' with less than one per cent paying with legacy fares. 'The TTC has been working to modernize fare payment across the system and looking for ways to save lost revenue through fare evasion,' the TTC said in a post on its website. TTC tokens have been around since 1954, but the transit agency stopped selling them, as well as tickets and day passes, at stations in 2019. Customers can still use cash to access the TTC at station fare boxes, and on buses and streetcars.
