Press release -
Hitachi Rail and Auckland Transport implement contactless payments to deliver seamless multimodal journeys for Aucklanders
Auckland Transport and Hitachi Rail celebrate 3.5m taps in first three months in Auckland, New Zealand with uptake continuing to increase
- Hitachi Rail’s ticketing system achieves over 300,000 bank cards or digital wallets used on public transport in Auckland in first three months
- Contactless payment solution has seen a strong, gradual uptake with over 9,000 taps on day one, reaching 1 million on day 33 and 3.5 million on day 97
- Project involved efficient upgrade of TranscityTM back office, 3825 bus validators, 180 platforms validators and 100 new card readers for gates for rail and ferry platforms.
Hitachi Rail and Auckland Transport’s (AT) new contactless ticketing system has achieved 3.5 million taps in its first three months of operation in Auckland, New Zealand.
The AT Contactless Payment project went live for passengers across all modes of transport in November 2024, a record time of 15 months from project launch to the full implementation of EMV[i]payment for public transport in Auckland.
The project consisted of an overall upgrade of payment validation infrastructure as well as delivering the Transcity™ Account-Based Ticketing (ABT) back-office and APIs to support contactless fare payments and integrate it into Auckland Transport’s technology landscape. Accepted payments include contactless enabled Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay or American Express debit or credit cards, as well as these cards in the digital wallet of a smartphone or smart device.
Integration of all Auckland Transport’s operators – providing train, bus and ferry transport – is also part of the project deliverables and is fully incorporated into the joint approach of Hitachi Rail and Auckland Transport. Staged hardware and software upgrades enabled the technology to be delivered without disrupting passenger journeys.
Hitachi Rail's expertise in multimodal ticketing solutions encourages ridership growth by adding new riders, and promotes accessible and sustainable mobility by reducing Auckland's net transportation emissions.
Jean-Marc Reynaud, VP Hitachi Rail RCS, said: "This contract celebrates the long-lasting support of Hitachi Rail to Auckland Transport for the integrated fare system in the city. Bringing our latest generation of digital payment solution in record time and in a cost effective way contributes to Auckland Transport and New Zealand's agenda of proposing more attractive and accessible ways for people to travel and use public transport.”
Roger Jones, AT Chief Technology Officer, said: “AT will continue to invest in ways to make it easy, safe, and reliable to get around using public transport. Working with Hitachi Rail to seamlessly enable contactless payments to be accepted across our public transport network is one example of this investment. This will reduce road congestion for those who must drive and reduce our impact on the environment”
ENDS
[i] EMV stands for Europay, Mastercard, Visa
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About Hitachi Rail
Hitachi Rail is committed to driving the sustainable mobility transition and has a clear focus on partnering with customers to rethink mobility. Its mission is to help every passenger, customer and community enjoy the benefits of more connected, seamless and sustainable transport.
With revenues of over €7bn and 24,000 employees across more than 50 countries, Hitachi Rail is a trusted partner to the world’s best transport organisations. The company's reach is global, but the business is local - with success built on developing local talent and investing in people and communities.
Its international capabilities and expertise span every part of the urban, mainline and freight rail ecosystems – from high quality manufacturing and maintenance of rolling stock to secure digital signalling, smart operations and payment systems.
Hitachi Rail, famous for Japan's iconic high speed bullet train, draws on the digital and AI expertise of Hitachi Group companies to accelerate innovation and develop new technologies. Hitachi Group is present in 140 countries with over 270,000 employees and global revenues of €54.55bn / ¥8,564 bn.
For more information, visit hitachirail.com
