Automated fare collection (AFC) architectures vary widely between regions — partly by technology era, partly by operational priority. This first of three articles compares mature AFC deployments across advanced economies and large transit networks in Asia, focusing on what each architecture chose to optimise for.
India
National Common Mobility Card (NCMC)
"NPCI was entrusted by the Ministry of Urban Development (MOUD) to prepare the standards & specifications of the NCMC."
The card operates as "an interoperable, open-loop, EMV based contactless payment product" usable for transport, toll plazas, and shopping. Transactions below INR 2,000 process within seconds via tap functionality.
Alternative solutions: Paytm, Ridlr, DIMTS, Trimax, Paycraft, Asis.
- Ridlr — Mobile application for smartphone payments for public transport in Mumbai.
- PayTM — Wallet service for metro tickets in Mumbai, Delhi, and Hyderabad, plus toll and ride-sharing payments.
China
Beijing transitioned from paper tickets to automatic fare collection via magnetic strip activation at barriers. Yikatong launched an Android app allowing contactless phone payments instead of physical cards.
Saudi Arabia
Riyadh implements contactless and near-field communication technology. "The ticketing system will encompass both on-board ticketing sale and validation systems for the anticipated 800- to the 1000-vehicle public bus network, as well as sale and access control systems for the over 80 stations and six lines of the metro system."
South Korea
T-money Card
Smart chip cards receive satellite location data through radio frequency communication at terminals. Information exchanged includes boarding location and transfer details. "When the bus approaches a certain distance of the garage, the payment statements are wirelessly transmitted to a bus aggregation system by a wireless access point (AP) and an aggregation PC."
Japan
Contactless integrated chip card technology enables interoperability across 10 transit groups covering 52 rail operators and 96 bus companies. "The system is integrated across the entire country, making it one of the largest in the world, covering over 80 million smartcards."
Major Cards
Suica (2001) and Pasmo (2007) both use Sony's FeliCa technology, accepted at shops, restaurants, convenience stores, and vending machines. "As of May 2015, 30,641 shops were accepting the IC alliance cards."
Cards purchased from ticket vending machines at stations. Pasmo features five types: blank, named, children, commuter ticket, and auto-charge enabled. Passengers accumulate bus points redeemable for free tickets.
South Africa
MyCiTi/Myconnect Card
"Passengers using the MyCiTi bus network purchase a Myconnect card for R25 from MyCiTi stations or from participating retailers, and load money onto the cards." The system uses "MasterCard's contactless technology which provides consumers with a safe, easy and convenient way to pay by simply tapping on a specially equipped terminal each time they enter or leave a station or bus."
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