A new ticket system is coming to Imatra's buses

The city of Imatra introduces a new ticket system for buses. The aim of the new system is to improve the public transport service.

─ We hope that this will significantly increase the usability of public transport. In the future, the progress of the buses can be followed with a mobile application, project manager Jukka Partinen says.

In practice, this means that bus passengers can download a free application that offers real-time information about bus movements at all times. It lets you know if, for example, the bus is late and by how much.

At the same time, paying for trips also becomes more diversified. The customer can buy his ticket as before and carry the bus card with him. In addition to that, you can also pay for the trip online or on a mobile phone, in which case you can get the ticket on your mobile phone.

In addition, for example, a family can acquire one travel account that can have many users. Trip payments are cleared in real time when the QR code is used in cars. Such travel accounts are not yet available elsewhere.

The new system will be tested with these prospects in February of next year. Old, already purchased travel cards work side by side as long as they are valid.

The system is supplied by an Estonian software company Ridango. It won the competition in July.

Business Finland finances half

It is a project of Business Finland, which is looking for new ways of operating in the province's public transport on a wider scale. The now launched bus payment and app communication is only part of the project.

The working title of the project is Mobility renewal in the South Karelia region.

─ We are trying to create completely new types of transport services in areas where the population is decreasing and aging, says Partinen.

The deductible portion of the entire three-year project is 335 euros. It is being paid by Imatra, Lappeenranta, the South Karelia social and health district and ELY center. Of these, Imatra's share is the largest, i.e. 000 euros, because the trial of the ticket system is carried out in the city.

The total costs of the project are 670 euros. Half of all costs are paid by Busines Finland.

In further development, the new system enables better planning of school traffic than before and, more broadly, the allocation of cars of the right size to those routes with genuine tourists. Systems are installed on the buses, which provide real-time data on their movements and the number of passengers.

It will also be possible to connect Wilma and student buses to facilitate the flow of information. An essential benefit for the passenger is also the fact that travel chains, such as train, bus and taxi, could be purchased with the same ticket in the future.

For more information:

Project manager Jukka Partinen, p. 020 617 4419, jukka. beardedimatra.fi (jukka[dot]partinen[at]imatra[dot]fi)

 Matter corrected on September 25.9.2019, 9.25 at XNUMX:XNUMX a.m.: One payer in the project is the South Karelia Social and Health District, not the South Karelia Federation.