Ticketless travel: SBB set to expand EasyRide

Soon, passengers on public transport in Switzerland will not even have to take their phones out of their pockets to purchase tickets, thanks to new systems planned by Swiss Federal Railways (SBB). The new version of their EasyRide system promises new features, from e-scooter sharing to automatic ticketing.

EasyRide system from SBB goes from strength to strength

Since launching in late 2019, the EasyRide function offered within the SBB app has grown increasingly popular. Today, the tool is used on 80.000 journeys a day and by around 380.000 customers a month, with rail firms expecting users to double by 2030.

Unlike conventional tickets, the system allows users to swipe on as they start their journeys, giving them a valid ticket that can be used nationwide. Once their journey is completed, travellers swipe off, and the app then calculates the lowest price possible for their trip given its length, duration and whether any previous journeys were taken in the last 24 hours.

Now, with SBB's contract with Fairtiq - EasyRide’s creator - coming up for renewal, the system is expected to be radically overhauled. According to reporting by Inside IT, while an SBB spokesperson said they “cannot yet say what specific adjustments there will be”, several new features “can be expected in the future.”

Automatic ticket coming to EasyRide, SBB documents reveal

According to documents released by SBB, the most radical change is expected to be taking the swiping out of the swiping app. EasyRide is soon to feature a “Be-in / Be-out” system which, with the customer’s consent, will automatically detect when the user boards and gets off buses, trains, trams or ships in Switzerland. The app then automatically checks the customer in or out without the user having to do a thing.

The new function will make it easier than ever to use Swiss public transport, with users not having to worry about buying a ticket at all. It will also help eliminate situations where travellers receive fines for buying their tickets or swiping on seconds after their train or bus has departed.

Better connectivity with ride-share apps promised in future

Alongside the new swipe-less function, the updated EasyRide system is also expected to include better connectivity with bike, car and e-scooter ride-sharing systems in what was described as “better connections for the first and last mile” of journeys. Using the same system as Be-in / Be-out, the system will also be able to guide travellers in the event of service disruptions.

According to Inside IT, SBB is expected to spend between 18,7 and 51,2 million francs on EasyRide in the next five years. However, when these new systems will be in place is yet to be disclosed.