TICKETING
aging a very modest eight applications per week – this has now increased to around 45 per week.
We believe more and more people will make the switch once they realise how convenient our SmartCards are, and that there is no cost penalty compared to pa- per-based tickets.
How SmartCards work
When the customer receives his SmartCard he must first activate the card by contact- ing the SmartCard Support Team; this also ensures the card has been received by the customer.
Next, he takes the card to a ticket vending machine to purchase and load his selected season ticket. He then presents the card over the reader. Payment can be made using a debit or credit card - or cash if the machine has a cash facility. A second reader presentation, and the transaction is complete; the product is loaded onto the SmartCard and the customer is ready to travel.
Next, he presents the card over a ticket gate to begin his journey. Or, if boarding at a station without ticket gates, cards can be presented in front of platform ‘validators’ – equipment on the platform or station premises. This tells the SmartCard system a journey has commenced.
ScotRail’s SmartCards explained
A smart card is a credit card-sized piece of plastic containing an electronic chip allowing rail tickets to be loaded, stored and read electronically.
Each ScotRail SmartCard can hold up to five tickets/reservations in its computer chip.
Smart card technology is used in other areas of transport, most noticeably in London with the TfL Oyster Card
The hardware involved includes: • •
• •
Platform validators: These allow cus- tomers to validate their travel ‘entitle- ment’ – the ticket/s - and add new tickets to their card. Validators use a radio-based technology, similar to Bluetooth. They are also a means of checking in at the start of a journey or checking out at the end. Ticket vending machines: Now allow the purchase of products direct to cards. Ticket gates: converted to accept SmartCards Mobile validators: For revenue protec- tion and gateline staff.
As well as extending the system to addi- tional routes, we will develop the product offering to cover different ticket types. Both of these developments will enhance the attractiveness of the technology and widen the appeal of smart cards to a larger customer base.
We will also explore new retail channels for Smart products and look to sim- plify the purchasing process even more over time.
Visit
www.scotrail.co.uk/smartcard-info Graeme Macfarlan
FOR MORE INFORMATION rail technology magazine Feb/Mar 11 | 61
At his arrival station, the customer uses the ticket gate or platform validator once more to complete his journey.
A dedicated microsite allows customers to view their latest journey, review their transactional spend and update their per- sonal details, should these change. This is at
www.scotrail.co.uk/smartcard
The future
We believe smart card technology and ScotRail’s SmartCard system represents the future of rail ticketing and we will con- tinue to develop our capabilities in this area.
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