Railway Smart Cards

Discussion in 'Off Topic' started by Geth_2234, Jun 8, 2021.

  1. Geth_2234

    Geth_2234 Well-Known Member

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    Hi,
    does anybody know if you can use one operators smartcard on another operators card readers and services?
    Like for example could you use a transport for wales smart card on a GWR reader and and vice versa?

    And if anybody has one are they worth getting as I'm looking into getting a card so I'd be really grateful if someone can give a few pointers.
     
  2. fabdiva

    fabdiva Well-Known Member

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    In the UK, no idea - the ITSO scheme should really have been national rather then each public transport operator having their own implementation.
     
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  3. CK95

    CK95 Well-Known Member

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    You can use your smart card in any TOC’s (Train Operating Company) scanner, be it in a station or on a train.

    I have a northern smart card and regularly use it in Avanti, Northern, EMR & TFW stations and trains.

    I haven’t tried loading tickets from another TOC’s app, so I can’t guarantee that would work, but ITSO is the universal system for loading tickets so I don’t see why it wouldn’t, since you can buy tickets for other TOC services on all the operator apps and websites.

    Overall it’s made my season ticket purchases and use much easier and simple, just buy your ticket through the app/website as usual, but load it onto your card, saves you having to fiddle around on your mobile or messing around with paper tickets.

    My only complaint is how long it seems to take the ticket inspectors to scan the card on their mobiles, it seems quite fiddly for them, apart from that it’s perfectly fast to scan on other devices such as station barriers.

    Definitely would recommend getting one if you’re regularly using weekly/monthly/annual tickets.
     
  4. CK95

    CK95 Well-Known Member

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    It is national, the card branding is little more than advertising.
     
  5. fabdiva

    fabdiva Well-Known Member

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    Ah have they finally fixed that? Are they interchangeable with buses yet? I'd love to see something like the OV-Chipkaart or IC-Card (Suica) in the UK, but feel with contactless/mobile being more of a thing that the ship there has sailed.
     
  6. CK95

    CK95 Well-Known Member

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    Not yet but if the GBR thing comes to fruition it probably will be, since that’s one of their objectives, and ITSO is already employed on bus operators, so the jump shouldn’t be too much of a big one for Rail/Tram/Bus tickets to at least be used.

    If that’s what you meant by national then I apologise, I misinterpreted it as meaning there is no inter usability between TOC’s.
     
  7. Geth_2234

    Geth_2234 Well-Known Member

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    Thank you! That’s really helpful and good to know because I live vertually in the middle of 2 operators I’m often using both of there services but I’ll definitely be ordering one now.


    i know the Welsh government has already committed to this and looks like the recent nationalisation of TFW was the first step because they want all transport in Wales to be owned and operated by TFW with an integrated ticketing system covering all modes of transport a lot like London.
     
  8. ariegley

    ariegley New Member

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    If I'm not mistaken, this system works in Germany. I think I read about it recently. Look on the website of DB auskunft. I think it should say about it or you can call their operator and clarify. If it has to do with weekly/monthly passes, they definitely have it. My sister is studying in Germany right now, and she said she buys all her fare tickets from them.
     
    Last edited: Jul 31, 2021
  9. Geth_2234

    Geth_2234 Well-Known Member

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    Does it? Would that technically mean you could use a UK smartcard in Germany?
     
  10. fabdiva

    fabdiva Well-Known Member

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    Not that I know of - Local trains, trams and buses are usually part of a zonal fare system where one ticket is valid on everything.

    Berlin has an App rather then a smart card as stations are ungated with random checks - so an on screen ticket is fine
     
  11. Alex_m30x#7297

    Alex_m30x#7297 Well-Known Member

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    I have all of them. And i mean all of them. Haven't used most of them. But their there and also i got post!
     
  12. Geth_2234

    Geth_2234 Well-Known Member

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    well I guess no reason why you can’t there free at the end of day :)
     
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  13. Alex_m30x#7297

    Alex_m30x#7297 Well-Known Member

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    I’ll post a picture later
     
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