OPEN LOOP: Customers can now pay using their contactless bank card, NFC mobile phone or smartwatch
Public transportation users in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon can now pay for the journeys they make on the city’s metro system with a standard contactless bank card, NFC mobile phone or smartwatch.
“With the contactless system, Metro de Lisboa customers no longer need to insert their card in terminals or enter codes to pay for their trips,” Lisbon Metro says. “Simply hold the card against the validator and payment will be made automatically (normal travel price: €1.65).”
“This technology, in addition to offering a fast, safe and hassle-free experience, facilitates the flow of customers at stations and eliminates the need to buy trips at the Metro’s vending machines,” it adds.
“This is a fare payment method that does not involve cash transactions, nor wasting time on purchasing a ticket or loading a Viva Viagem card,” Vitor Domingues dos Santos, chairman of the board of directors of Metropolitano de Lisboa, says.
“With this new functionality, Metropolitano de Lisboa is contributing to improving mobility in the metropolitan area of Lisbon and to decarbonization and environmental sustainability, as by making payments completely electronically, it is also possible to substantially reduce the use of paper.
“Metropolitano de Lisboa is the only operator in the city where this new technology is implemented across the entire network and is now positioning itself as one of the most advanced operators on a global scale in terms of the public service offered.”
Lisbon Metro turns on open loop contactless ticketing was written by Sarah Clark and published by NFCW.