Ticketing - Articles and news items

Ticketing is now easier with Stansted Express

Rail industry news / 30 June 2011 /

Stansted Express, the fastest way between Central London and Stansted Airport has launched a new e-ticketing option via its website offering customers the option of requesting a new Print at Home e-ticket, helping to reduce queues and save precious time for busy air travellers using the Airport service.

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The technology behind the M-Ticketing structure of thetrainline.com

Issue 5 2010 / 17 September 2010 /

It’s not an obvious association, but train tickets have since their conception been a source of innovation and engineering triumph. Today we may consider a cardboard ticket an outdated proposition – but the invention of the Edmondson ticket machine in the 1830s for issuing pre-printed tickets was so successful it became used around the world and survived for 150 years. Magnetic stripes were introduced on train tickets in the 1980s nearly a decade before they became widespread for airlines. (more…)

Focusing on customers to deliver 21st century services for the 21st century passenger

Issue 3 2010 / 31 May 2010 /

Arriva, one of Europe’s leading transport operators, is radically changing the travel experience for its customers in Denmark.

Passenger information tailor-made to the needs and demands of the individual passenger. That is what Arriva Skandinavien is set to introduce through MyArriva – an innovative new concept which was part of Arriva’s winning bid to retain its Jutland rail concession for a further eight years.

MyArriva will see the introduction of realtime information, free Internet access and infotainment on trains and at stations. It is at the heart of the concept to heighten the passenger experience and in turn attract more passengers to the railway. (more…)

Masabi Signs M-Ticketing Deal with thetrainline.com

Rail industry news / 18 May 2010 /

Masabi, the developer of m-ticketing software for mass-market phones, recently announced that it has signed a deal with thetrainline.com for a mass-market m-ticketing purchase and delivery system. The system will allow users to buy and display UK rail tickets direct from their mobile phones for any route on the National Rail network without having to visit ticket offices or ticket machines. The system is already in development with a rollout expected later in 2010.

While it has been possible to purchase tickets online for some time, the majority of tickets are still bought at the station where queuing can be a problem, particularly at peak times. The Masabi mobile application will enable tickets to be bought on almost any mobile phone and is designed to be easy to use, even for those who have never used a mobile application before. Using the application you will be able to search, purchase tickets using a credit or debit card and then either display the ticket, including a secure barcode, on the phone’s screen or collect a conventional ticket at the train station. Rail operators have already commenced the rollout of barcode scanners on trains and at rail stations, with several major routes expected to be fully covered by the end of this summer.

The Masabi ticketing solution supports the widest range of handsets, from the latest smartphones to very basic handsets. It is also designed to work in the most challenging of situations, using either data or SMS to make fully secure ticket purchases even in areas with very limited phone reception. The system uses Masabi’s award-winning, US government certified, EncryptME security to protect all transactions.

“To-date mobile ticketing has focused on niche trials, but we needed a partner able to address the specific issues of a mass-market rollout in the National Rail network.” said Richard Rowson, product development director of thetrainline.com. “We conducted an extensive RFP process to identify the best technology partner for our mobile ticket sales and delivery system. Masabi were able to offer a unique combination of security, usability, barcode standards and mass-market phone compatibility – alongside a thorough understanding of UK rail.”

“We all know the frustration of waiting for an available ticket machine or window while the minutes tick away towards our train’s departure time” said Ben Whitaker, CEO of Masabi, “By combining our mobile technology with thetrainline.com’s ticketing systems, we will be able to put a ticket machine in everyone’s pocket, regardless of what phone they have.”

Online Rail Ticketing set for Shake-Up

Rail industry news / 19 April 2010 /

A new rail ticketing website – www.MyTrainTicket.co.uk – has been launched today promising a shake-up in the market for rail tickets sold online, currently dominated by thetrainline.com. (more…)

Combating fare evasion brings benefits to Southern

Issue 2 2010 / 4 April 2010 /

Train operator Southern has introduced automatic ticket gates at some of its London stations to combat fare evasion, but as Mike Blaquiere, Southern’s Project Manager explains, the company has also experienced wider benefits than merely an increase in revenue.

London Underground first introduced automatic ticket gates in the 1980s. At that time, British Rail’s southwest London network failed to attract sufficient government interest to install a similar gating scheme across the railway network. Instead, a penalty fare scheme was introduced by which random checking of passenger tickets resulted in fines being charged to fare evaders not in possession of valid tickets. British Rail also introduced ticket issuing machines at all stations within the penalty fares area that was regularly patrolled by ticket inspectors. While this system continues to work extremely well and ensures that genuine passengers aren’t penalised by those who travel without tickets, it is the automatic ticket gates at stations that are leading the line in the battle against fare evasion and trespassing on the railway. (more…)

CrossCountry e-ticket sales beat £2m mark

Rail industry news / 8 February 2010 /

CrossCountry has announced today that it has sold over 76,000 print-at-home ‘e-tickets’ since the rail operator launched the online initiative in November 2008. (more…)

Poland provides popular rail services

Issue 3 2007, Past issues / 6 June 2007 /

PKP Intercity is a commercial partnership which was established in 2001 as a result of the Polish National Railways restructuring programme. PKP Intercity owns the fastest, most comfortable and modern railways in Poland and our trains connect big city centres and popular holiday resorts. (more…)

Deutsche Bahn’s sales strategy

Issue 2 2006, Past issues / 3 April 2006 /

As part of its restructuring and modernisation programme, Deutsche Bahn AG optimised its sales concept in the passenger transport sector. The strategic goals were to increase revenues and reduce costs, while at the same time securing quality.

DB has substantially increased its local and long- distance transport revenues over the last few years. The continuing positive trend is driven by both the acquisition of new customers and the consistent exploitation of the market potential.

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