Swiss rail operator SBB has taken online ticketing to a new level, eliminating the concept of ‘ticket’ for most users.
In a system now being tested on the mainline rail network and several regional and urban systems, users of the SBB Preview app select ‘EasyRide’ and board a train. When you get on, you use the app to check in, and when you arrive, you check out.
It’s not even necessary to enter the start and end points—the GPS-enabled app will know where you’ve gone, and will calculate and charge the cheapest fare in effect at the time. Users need to have a SwissPass account to use it; the fares are charged to a credit card or bank account.
And if you forget to check out at the end? SBB says “if you ever forget to log the end of your journey manually, the app will remind you to check out at the right time.”
Photo: Kabelleger/Wikimedia
