By
Alex Smith |
Stockholm’s public transit authority, Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (SL), has introduced a comprehensive digital ticketing system that has improved rates of fare collection across the capital’s transport network, including the ferries that provide links between the city’s islands and waterways.
New integrated ticketing devices from HID, a provider of identity and access solutions, have been installed across all 140 ferry validators, as well as 2,600 buses, 320 tram platforms and 1,035 metro fare gates throughout the capital region. The initiative has eliminated paper tickets and enabled travellers to use contactless payment methods across buses, ferries, trams and metro stations.
The 140 HID VAL150 ticket validators installed for Stockholm’s ferries were designed specifically for harsh environments, with weatherproof housing and reinforced construction standards to withstand freezing winters, salty sea air and other marine conditions. The validators provide the same multi-format ticket reading capabilities as those used indoors, ensuring a consistent passenger experience across all modes of transport.
Following the introduction of the new system, ticket validation rates on ferries have risen from 58 per cent to 89 per cent – the most significant rise out of the four modes of transportation. Overall fare evasion across SL’s network fell from 3.1 per cent to 2.3 per cent.
“Serving hundreds of thousands of passengers daily across multiple transit modes required a ticketing solution that could scale with our needs while providing a consistent experience for our riders,” said Karin Harrius, business system administrator for ticket readers at SL. “We chose HID for its multi-technology ticket validators for buses, ferries and gates, as well as its ability to run side-by-side with our legacy hardware, systems and networks. It was a real challenge for everyone involved to get that working, but it was one we overcame together.”