The Netherlands has launched a contactless transit payments system nationwide, allowing travellers to tap-in and tap-out with their debit card, credit card or digital wallet.
The OVpay open loop system that has been introduced by Translink and public transport companies means users of all public transport across the country including trains, buses, metros, and trams no longer need tickets or passes with the exception for those who have a subscription.
The initiative is aiming to increase efficiency, reduce congestion and address environmental concerns as a result of having less traffic on the roads. As part of the deal, Mastercard partnered with the joint public transport companies and Translink to support local banks with implementing mobility transaction processing rules. It also helped ensured the necessary software updates and components were installed to carry out the launch.
“We see that many people faced hurdles when wanting to take public transport. From now on, no need to separately buy tickets or miss your train because the balance on your public transport card is too low,” Jan-Willlem van der Schoot, Mastercard Country Manager, The Netherlands said.
He added: “This has been an amazing team effort. So many people worked very hard on it during the last couple of years. It’s incredible to see how our efforts and those of our partners have made this happen.”
While open loop payment solutions are already accepted in metropolitan areas around the world, including London, New York City, Sydney and Milan, this is said to be the most comprehensive nationwide rollout to date.
