Mobiles as travel passes in Paris
Passengers in Paris could be able to use their mobiles as travel cards by 2010 – but teething problems are expected.
PASSENGERS travelling on public transport in Paris will soon be able to use their mobile phones as a travel card.
It is hoped the technology, which will replace the current Navigo travel card (similar to that of the London Underground’s Oyster card) will be introduced by the end of 2010 for travel within Paris, on the SNCF Transilien trains and Optile buses serving the suburbs.
However, teething problems are expected as not all mobile phones will allow users to get through the metro barriers, meaning passengers will have to ensure they have compatible models fitted with what is known as an NFC chip.
This sort of technology is widespread in Japan.
Pilot tests have been carried out on transport and in shops in Caen and Strasbourg, and are planned for Nice in spring 2010 when 3,000 subscribers will be given the new phones.
In addition to equipping people with the new phones, another difficulty is putting the system into place.
President of the Ile-de-France region Jean-Paul Huchon said: “There is a very weighty set of criteria for the STIF (the Ile-de-France public transport executive), transport operators and mobile phone operators.”
Mobile phone operators will in effect have to agree to integrate applications allowing purchases or exchanges for tickets. However he assured the price of travel would not increase.
Mr Huchon said: “For the passenger, it will be the same price.”
