Fairtiq: A one-way ticket for public transport

Fairtiq is a smartphone app from Switzerland that aims to simplify traveling by public transport. There are often so many different fares within a city that it can quickly become confusing. But other countries and apps are also using this idea. For example, Munich and Regensburg with the “Swipe + Ride” pilot project. You can find out how the Fairtiq and “Swipe + Ride” system works here.

With Fairtiq, it is possible to pay the cheapest price for every bus and train journey. To do this, you need a smartphone with the app installed and must be traveling within the Fairtiq area of validity. So far, the app is mainly available in its country of origin – Switzerland. There, you can simply press Start at the start of your journey and Stop at the end. The app then calculates the best fare and at the end of the month you are charged via PayPal or credit card. In Switzerland, this is already possible on all trains, buses, streetcars and ferries. 20 percent of all ticket purchases there are made via Fairtiq.

The app is also popular in France: around a quarter of travelers there use Fairtiq to get the cheapest fare on public transport and when traveling within the country. In Germany, around a third of ticket purchases are made via Fairtiq, particularly in North Rhine-Westphalia. And there is currently a pilot project called “Swipe + Ride” in Munich.

The founder of Fairtiq, a former SBB top manager, is Gian-Mattia Schucan and holds a doctorate in physics. In 2013, he resigned from the Swiss Federal Railways, which had decided against ticket-free boarding and alighting for cost reasons. The nationwide introduction of Fairtiq in Switzerland cost 5 million euros – significantly less than the 300 million euros SBB had budgeted.

Billing at Fairtiq is based on a kilometer-based airline tariff. To obtain these prices, you need to download the Fairtiq Lab app. In Switzerland and Austria, this is already possible without an access code. In test regions in Germany, such as Munich, you still need a code to use the system as a tester. The app has a daily cap and never charges more than 49 euros in Germany, which corresponds to the price of the 49-euro Germany ticket.

Fairtiq’s mission is to make traveling by public transport easier than ever before. The company is expanding and wants to reach users internationally. Travelers no longer need to know fares or zones, but can rely on automatically receiving a fair bill. Fairtiq always calculates the cheapest available ticket for the route traveled – transfers and changes between modes of transport such as train, bus, streetcar or boat are not relevant. You don’t have to decide on a final destination in advance, but can get off at any time.

When tickets are checked, travelers must have the Fairtiq app ready and show the barcode via “Show ticket”. There is a small risk here, because if the cell phone battery is empty, you no longer have a ticket. Another risk is forgetting to press the “Stop” button at the end of the journey. But the app promises to remind you. There is also a Smart Stop function which, according to the company, is designed to assist with check-out. Fairtiq also sets strict standards when it comes to data protection.

In Germany, it is now possible to travel by bus and train between the Munich and Regensburg transport networks using a smartphone. The pilot project from the Munich Transport and Tariff Association (MVV) called “Swipe + Ride” is intended to be the first step towards a nationwide electronic tariff for local public transport. This should make the sometimes complicated search for the right ticket at the best price superfluous.

MVV launched the “Swipe + Ride” pilot project last year. Now the model, which is based on the Fairtiq app, can also be used in the Regensburg public transport network (RVV) and for journeys from one network to another. Occasional travelers in particular, for whom a subscription is not worthwhile, should benefit from this.

In addition to MVV and RVV, Verkehrsverbund Großraum Ingolstadt (VG) and the railroad companies DB Regio, agilis, Bayerische Regiobahn and Länderbahn are also involved in the project. The Free State of Bavaria is supporting the project, officially called “eTarif in der Modellregion Donau-Isar”, with around 500,000 euros. The pilot project will run for a total of two years. Fairtiq is supporting MVV and its partners with the check-in/check-out technology.

So far, 10,000 codes have been issued to testers in the Munich region. Bavarian Transport Minister Kerstin Schreyer explained: “With the ‘SWIPE + RIDE’ pilot, we are further reducing the ‘fare system’ barrier to change. Occasional drivers in particular no longer have to worry about finding the right ticket. At the same time, pilot customers can actively participate in the further development of the fare system – as an important part of the project.”

The response has been great. And there is also interest elsewhere in ticket-free billing for public transport use. In Austria, the “SimplyGo!” app, which works with the same technology as Fairtiq, is popular. Denmark has also been experimenting with the Fairtiq method since September 2022. And in London, a similar method of checking in and out with an Oyster or credit card has been around for a long time. The system then selects the cheapest fare for all journeys made at the end of the day. Incidentally, the Oyster Card celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2023. Read all about the success story here.

Fairtiq wants to be even smarter. In future, the technology will recognize when you walk to deduct this from your travel costs. GPS tracking could even soon make it unnecessary to swipe to check in and check out. In Switzerland, the number of Fairtiq users is growing by ten to 15 percent every month. And Fairtiq is also revolutionizing the ticket market in Germany.

Read more: Interesting mobility projects can be found in our Mobility Special.