Boom in contactless card payments on public transport

Passengers using Ostrava’s public transport system are increasingly taking advantage of the contactless card payment systems installed in all vehicles (trams, buses and trolleybuses). The number of contactless payments is rising by an average of 20 thousand every month. Encouraged by the popularity of the system, the city’s public transport corporation is expanding it from February 2018 so that it will now be possible to use the contactless terminals to buy extra tickets for fellow passengers, or for a dog, or for outsized luggage. It will also be possible to use a bank card as a season ticket.

The director of the public transport corporation Daniel Morys gave more details:

“Traditional paper tickets are being used less and less, but there has been a massive boom in contactless payments. Every month breaks new records – the most recent available figure is for December 2017, when there were almost 300 000 contactless payments in our vehicles. We know from customer feedback that many people would like to be able to buy extra tickets (for fellow passengers) using a contactless card – so we’re introducing that option from 7 February.”

As part of the new expanded system, passengers will now be able to buy up to 4 extra tickets (in addition to their own ticket) using the contactless payment terminals on board. A 45-minute ticket for adults costs 20 CZK, and reduced-price tickets (for children aged 6–15, or for a dog, or for outsized luggage) cost 10 CZK.

Another innovation is the option to use a bank card as a season ticket. To do this, passengers first need to go to the new e-shop at karta.dpo.cz and register their card. The registration will be confirmed within 24 hours, and then you can simply return to the e-shop and buy any long-term ticket. There are no registration fees for this service – you only pay for the ticket.

On 1 February the public transport corporation introduced a number of changes to its conditions of travel. The fine for travelling without a valid ticket was increased from 700 CZK to 1000 CZK (if the fine is paid on the spot or within 7 working days). If passengers are caught travelling without a valid ticket but they do actually have one (they might have left it at home, for example), they can present the ticket within 3 working days to avoid a fine; the administrative fee for this has been increased from 30 CZK to 40 CZK.