You want your city’s transit system to be easy to navigate — and Citymapper has long been many (50M and counting!) riders’ MaaS app of choice, helping them plan multimodal journeys that meet their needs and preferences. But paying for each leg of these trips, using a patchwork of different apps or even physical ticket kiosks, was still a barrier to carefree transit use.
No longer. Citymapper’s new mobile ticketing functionality allows riders to purchase fixed route bus and train tickets directly in the app, making hassles like scrambling for exact change, waiting in lines, or downloading multiple apps a thing of the past. When passengers can purchase and store bus, train, and microtransit tickets in the same app they already use for journey planning, riding transit is easier than ever.
Getting riders on board means giving them the same friction-less experience they’d expect from other consumer-grade apps. Citymapper doesn’t just let passengers purchase tickets, it proactively offers ticketing information and guidance at key moments throughout the journey planning process so riders buy exactly the right ticket for their ride.
This capability was recently deployed in partnership with Masabi and National Express West Midlands (MXWM) to provide integrated Citymapper ticketing for passengers in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Riders in the region can now buy single, day, or weekly passes on National Express buses. More partnerships, with transit providers and ticketing platforms, are in the works.
Integrated ticketing is in keeping with our goal of making public transit as reliable, appealing, and seamless an experience as hopping in a private car. Passengers no longer have to app-switch; they enjoy the freedom of purchasing tickets directly through the Citymapper app. They can buy single, day, or weekly bus tickets as they plan their trips, providing riders with flexibility and ease.
“We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Citymapper, and by integrating our bus services and tickets with their user-friendly app we are providing new and existing passengers with seamless access to greener, easier transport options. This first-of-its-kind collaboration represents a significant milestone in our mission to make it more convenient to move around the West Midlands by bus.”
— Anthony Goozee, Bus Strategy & Commercial Director, National Express
Physical ticket machines will always be important, especially for unbanked riders. But relying solely on kiosks for all passengers can be an inconvenience, as well as creating maintenance and operational burdens for cities and transit operators. A recent report finds that transit authorities of all sizes can cut fare collection costs by as much as 73% by adopting a unified fare-payment system.
When more passengers purchase tickets directly through the app, transit agencies can significantly reduce dependence on ticket machines, lowering costs associated with cash handling and machine maintenance. Additionally, this integration reduces the need for the agency to maintain and advertise multiple payment and trip planning apps.
Easy ticket purchasing adds a new layer of convenience to transit, and in turn, makes it a more attractive option, leading to increased ridership and attracting further investment. Besides, Citymapper provides transit planners with in-depth insights into ridership patterns, helping them optimize routes and schedules to meet community needs more effectively. They can also delve into fare usage patterns to optimize pricing strategies and improve revenue management.
This digital upgrade ultimately creates a more user-friendly and highly efficient fare collection system, benefiting transit operators and passengers alike.
Interested in bringing fixed route tickets to Citymapper in your community? We’d love to chat!