New card payment options for public transport passengers

Ostrava’s public transport company is planning changes in its contactless card payment systems. At the moment, cardholders can only buy tickets for themselves – but soon it will be possible to buy more than one ticket, not only for the cardholder but also for fellow passengers. Contactless card payment systems are also planned for other cities in the region. Aleš Stejskal from Ostrava’s public transport coordinating body KODIS gave an interview to Czech Radio.

Interview with Aleš Stejskal:

Mr. Stejskal, what is the current situation with the plans to introduce new card payment options in Ostrava?

I can confirm that we will be introducing an expanded range of payment options for Ostrava’s public transport system – it will soon be possible to use contactless cards to pay for fellow passengers (or outsized luggage, or a dog). It will also be possible to use cards to pay for long-term tickets. All this is currently at the planning stage, and it is scheduled to be launched on 1 February 2018 as part of the new pricing structure that will also come into effect on that day.

How many fellow passengers will it be possible to pay for with a card? Will there be a limit?

You will be able to pay for up to four fellow passengers – so five people in total, the cardholder plus another four (or a piece of outsized luggage, or a dog).

Are you planning to introduce contactless card payment systems in other places?

Yes. In June of this year we will introduce these systems in Karviná/Orlová. And from December 2018 the majority of regional public transport operators will be using contactless card systems. We also expect town/city transport operators to do the same, because in many cases they are the same companies that operate regional transport.

About KODIS

KODIS was set up in 1995 as the coordinating body for Ostrava’s integrated transport system (ODIS). KODIS is responsible for monitoring and coordinating the services and financial operations of the various transport operators – coordinating timetables, identifying route priorities, and more. It is also responsible for managing and developing the ODIS system itself – expanding it to include other outlying communities and contracting services from new providers.

Source: http://www.rozhlas.cz/ostrava/publicistika/_zprava/v-ostravske-mhd-pujde-platit-kartou-i-za-spolucestujici-novinky-se-chystaji-i-v-dalsich-mestech–1778924

Authors:  František Tichý, Veronika Fajkusová; Programme: Dobré odpoledne; Radio station: Český rozhlas Ostrava