By Trend

VISA supports global transport operators and provides them with digital tools to attract more passengers, as well as improve the user experience, Cristina Doros, Vice President of VISA and Regional Manager for Central Asia and Azerbaijan, told Trend.

"The integration of contactless payment in Azerbaijan last November allowed passengers of Baku commuter trains, namely Baku-Sumgait trains, to pay for travel quickly and conveniently using digital technologies," she said.

According to the vice president, the VISA survey "The Future of Urban Mobility" revealed that 91 percent of passengers in the world largely or somewhat expect contactless payment options to be offered in public transport.

"The survey participants also think that the main advantages of non-cash payments are convenience (44 percent), time savings due to faster payment transactions (40 percent), less concern about having enough cash (38 percent), as well as reduced contact with surfaces and other people (35 percent)," she added.

As Doros noted, the fare restriction represents a good opportunity for public transport operators to serve as many passengers as possible. The introduction of a flexible fare limits the amount that a passenger pays for the total number of trips per day, week or month, eliminating the need to tie funds to a monthly subscription or a special transport card. Among the participants in the survey, 61 percent indicated that a flexible fare system would encourage them to use public transport more often than paying for each individual trip without fare restrictions.

"In the second quarter of this year, VISA, together with its partners, launched 50 new projects to introduce digital solutions and services in public transport around the world. This allows passengers to use contactless payment cards or payment-enabled devices without having to carry a separate transport card, as well as pay in cash," she added.