Passengers in Edinburgh will soon be able to tap on and off buses and trams using seamless smart ticketing.
An integrated fares system, already popular in other major cities, is finally coming to the Scottish capital.
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Commuters will be able to travel by tapping on and off with cards and phones
The new system calculates the cheapest fare based on the number of journeys made and then debits the card in the early hours of the following morning.
Final tests are currently underway, with Edinburgh Trams due to announce the launch date soon.
Lea Harrison, the managing director of Edinburgh Trams, said: “Following the successful launch of services to Newhaven in 2023 we’re continuing to invest in technology to make trams an even more attractive proposition for both residents and visitors.
“This has included the replacement of ten-year-old tram stop validators to enable contactless cards to be securely accepted, and new handheld devices for our staff to check that customers have ‘tapped on’ before boarding.
“The cutting-edge technology requires extensive testing before it becomes fully operational, but we are now just weeks away from it being rolled out across the network.
“When the system goes live, it will mark another milestone for Edinburgh Trams, the city, and its world-class public transport network.”
The system will also involve a weekly cap based on the number of trips taken over a seven-day, Monday to Sunday, period.
The caps will work in conjunction with the bus operator, meaning they will apply across Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams services.
Customers will no longer need to purchase a day ticket from the bus driver or the tram stop ticket machine.
They just need to ‘tap off’ when using the tram using via a platform validator when they reach their destination.
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It’s understood passengers will be able to mix and match journeys with Lothian Buses, which like the trams are council-owned.
Travellers’ fares will be capped at £5 a day or £24.50 a week.
Once they hit that limit every journey is free.
The system will be provided by a company called Flowbird.
Londoners have been using an integrated Oyster card on buses and the Underground for nearly two decades.
Officials in Edinburgh hope that new service will encourage drivers to leave their cars at home.
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Edinburgh’s travel network is set for a tech upgrade