Passengers travelling on metro and tram services in the Spanish city of Valencia will be able to pay for their fares with a contactless bank card or validate mobile or paper tickets with a QR code using an upgraded ticketing and fare payment system to be implemented across the Metrovalencia network.

Transport operator Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valencia (FGV) has issued a tender inviting suppliers to submit proposals for a system to replace Metrovalencia’s existing validation technology that will support open loop contactless fare payments as well as QR code-enabled ticketing.

The planned upgrade “aims, first of all, to increase and improve the performance of the aforementioned validation equipment, developing the necessary software to make them possible and allowing the installation of new hardware components,” FGV says.

“Secondly, we want to facilitate the validation process with the installation of new readers that will allow validation with contactless bank cards, as well as with QR codes, on paper or on mobile electronic devices.

“A third objective is the modernisation of the validation teams to ensure their operation in the face of the obsolescence of the current components.

“The fourth and last purpose is to improve accessibility in special width steps for people with reduced mobility (PMR), adapting the graphic interface and adding acoustic messages.”

The “planned initial execution period” of the upgrade “is 18 months”, according to FGV.

Next: Visit the NFCW Expo to find new suppliers and solutions