Context
Promet Split, the public city transport operator in the city of Split, decided to respond to the growing demand of passengers for flexible, fast and secure ways of paying for tickets. Traditional models based on paper tickets purchased at kiosks or from the driver are no longer sufficient because passengers expect contactless card payments, easy management of personalized transport cards, and faster, more secure service.
The goal of the project was to develop an integrated e‑ticketing system that unifies sales and payment services at all key points of sale: in buses, at vending machines, at official sales outlets and via an e‑wallet application. The main contractor of this major project was King ICT, and we, together with colleagues from CorvusPay, were responsible for implementing card payments at all points of sale: in buses, at self‑checkout kiosks and at the client’s sales locations.
Challenges
During the implementation of the solution, a number of challenges arose which we successfully resolved in cooperation with the project partners:
- It was necessary to support ticket sales, payment and validation in buses, using a specialized computer for drivers, while meeting strict requirements for simplicity and enabling fast passenger flow when boarding the vehicle.
- In addition, we had to support different sales channels and multiple payment methods because a very similar process was expected at other points of sale: self‑checkout devices for topping up e‑wallets and purchasing tickets. It was essential to support both standard payment cards and contactless transport cards in the system in the same way.
- Real‑time operation was a particular challenge: integration with the backend e‑ticketing system had to synchronize sales, validation and ticket status data at the moment the transaction occurred.
- The final result had to meet strict user experience requirements: the process had to be very intuitive and fast, as payments and validations mostly take place when the passenger boards the vehicle.
Solution
Ultimately, a complete centralized e‑ticketing solution was implemented, and we were responsible for the part related to accepting and processing card transactions:
- Specialized payment terminals with application support for contactless card payments and ticket validation (Ingenico iUC160b) were used for payments in buses. The devices were hardware and software integrated into the driver’s computer.
- For ticket purchases and e‑wallet top‑ups at self‑service kiosks, multifunctional payment devices were used, enabling sales, top‑ups and extension of e‑ticket validity with card payment. For this scenario, we used the Ingenico iSelfSeries line of payment terminals, equipped with our payment application, which we customized to support the specific purchase process.
- At ticket counters and other Promet Split sales locations, standard desktop payment terminals were used to process card transactions.
- Due to the large number of devices in the field and the need to change system operating parameters, we provided remote management of the network of payment terminals via our TMS system.
- All sales channels were connected to a central system that processes transactions and manages data in real time.
Result
As with all other projects, we used an agile approach here as well, which ensured efficiency. In collaboration with project partners, we systematically analyzed user needs and created conditions for the successful completion of the project. We delivered:
- By analyzing user needs and passenger flow statistics, we determined priorities for introducing card payments on bus lines and at points of sale.
- The preparation of the specific infrastructure involved installing terminals in vehicles and self-service devices, performing software and hardware integration, and equipping all user points of sale while connecting all sales points to the central e-ticketing system and card processor.
- As part of the pilot phase, we conducted testing on a selected portion of the network with a limited fleet of buses and several self-service devices, during which we continuously monitored system stability, passenger flow speed, and transaction processing times.
- After the pilot, during the full production phase, we gradually expanded the solution across the entire public transport network while simultaneously training staff to operate the new system.
Conclusion
The e‑ticketing project enabled a fully digitalized experience of purchasing and using public transport. The integration of card payments in buses, kiosks and sales locations significantly simplified processes and modernized operations. Promet Split now has a reliable, secure, and scalable platform that supports future development and the potential for integration with other public service systems. Passengers benefit from convenience and flexibility, with a significantly improved user experience, primarily reflected in reduced boarding times on public transport vehicles. Finally, it is worth mentioning that the city of Split, as one of the largest centers of Croatian tourism, has significantly enhanced the satisfaction of not only its residents but also the growing number of tourists through this modernization of public transport.