Multimodal contactless tap-and-cap ticketing across Lothian bus services and Edinburgh Trams has been introduced in the Scottish capital.
It is the first such multi-operator, multimodal account-based ticketing (ABT) rollout in Scotland and has seen integration of the existing Lothian TapTapCap system with Edinburgh Trams’ tap on, tap off scheme, which was developed by Flowbird. Fares for both single-mode and combined journeys will benefit from daily and weekly caps.
Bus passengers using the scheme tap on only, but Edinburgh Trams requires customers to tap on and tap off. The tram payment system utilises a CloudFare back-office system from Flowbird that is integrated with Lothian Buses, along with platform and hand-held card validators that are also from Flowbird.
Flowbird General Manager – Transport David Thompson (pictured, centre) notes that the account-based payment system is part of a long-term partnership between the supplier and the City of Edinburgh and its principal transport operators.
“Accommodating both tram and bus journeys within a unified ABT scheme – and dealing with differing fares structures – required the development and configuration of complex business rules within Flowbird’s CloudFare Account Based Ticketing back-office,” he says.
“Now, though, local people and the millions more who visit Edinburgh every year can enjoy easier access to multimodal travel and a simpler payment system than ever before, helping to make the city more liveable.”
Edinburgh Trams Managing Director Lea Harrison (pictured, left) adds that “months of hard work” was necessary to launch tap on, tap off across the light rail network, efforts that have seen significant investment in existing infrastructure.
