In the past one year, cities in the Asia-Pacific region have launched significant initiatives towards the introduction of advanced fare collection systems, particularly contactless payment solutions such as bank cards and mobile ticketing. 

Two of the biggest such initiatives have been the introduction of contactless bank card payments for public transport in Singapore and Sydney. Going forward, passengers will also be able to pay for transit using smart devices that have NFC-enabled payment capability. Another key development has been the introduction of the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) in India, which is one of the biggest markets in Asia for new public transport systems.

New programmes to promote cashless payments have also been launched. In Malaysia, for example, the government has launched the “Go Cashless on Public Transport” campaign. Singapore’s public transit network is planning to eliminate all cash payments by 2020. Cashless payments are becoming a bigger focus area in Japan. Earlier this year, the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority also introduced cashless service on buses.

The penetration of bank cards and smartphones, increasing ridership with Asia being home to some of the busiest public transport systems in the world, emphasis on integration and interoperability, introduction of new business models in the financial industry to tap the low-value payments market, development of mobile ticketing apps and mobile wallets, and launch of new technologies and innovations are the key drivers for the deployment of advanced fare collection systems. Greater awareness of the benefits of open payment systems – improved fare revenue collection, greater operational efficiency and lower costs – has also motivated transit agencies to opt for smart ticketing methods.

This increased awareness and the subsequent growth in deployment of automated fare collection (AFC) methods has been due to a close collaboration between transit authorities/agencies, city governments and private players.

There are crucial lessons to be learnt from the AFC initiatives in the region.

To discuss these developments, exchange ideas, and showcase new technologies and innovations, Global Mass Transit is organising its fourth conference on “Transit Ticketing & Fare Collection APAC 2019” on October 16-17, 2019 at the Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Singapore.

Mission

The mission of the conference is to highlight recent deployments of account-based ticketing (ABT) and open payments in the region, review new developments, showcase new technologies and best practices, discuss upcoming trends and the outlook for automated fare collection systems, and analyse the opportunities in the public transport ticketing and fare collection industry in the Asia-Pacific region.