Ottawa tests tap-to-pay contactless ticketing on light rail network

Ottawa contactless ticketing on light rail network
CONTACTLESS: Passengers can use their mobile wallet to pay for single rides at one pilot station in Ottawa

Passengers travelling from Ottawa’s Rideau Station can now purchase single-ride adult fares on the Canadian capital’s light rail transit network by tapping to pay with their credit card or mobile wallet at a pilot touchless entry gate.

The OC Transpo transit authority is trialling the contactless ticketing system before rolling out the technology to all its light rail stations and buses later this year.

“You cannot tap to pay for other fare types, including discounted fares, monthly passes and DayPasses, during the trial period,” OC Transpo says. It adds that “transfers for fares paid by tapping credit cards or smartphones will be available in late 2021, based on the results of this trial”.

A short video explains how the contactless ticketing service works:

Passengers can already make contactless payments for their fares and passes across OC Transpo’s network using a prepaid Presto transit card.

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