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Fare Collection
Different modes of fare collection can be found in the world's metro systems. Physically, there may be either fare gates or the so-called honour system, with modes of payment reaching from token to smartcard.
Physical arrangements
Fare gates or honour system.
Fare gates
Gates separate the paid area physically. The majority of the world's metros uses this system. Smartcard payment is straightforward with gates as people are driven to touch their cards when entering and when leaving the paid area.
Disadvantages for the handicapped, the pregnant, and people with baggage. Broken turnstiles can cause rush-hour bottlenecks. In case of fire or panic, gates must open. Misuse of emergency opening needs to be prevented, usually through the presence of staff.
| Adelaide | gates (partly) | | Alicante | gates (partly) | | Amsterdam | gates, nationwide smartcard | | Baltimore | gates (subway), honour system (LRT) | | Bangkok | gates, smartcard, RFID token | | Barcelona | gates, smartcard | | Beijing | access/exit gates | | Bilbao | gates | | Boston | gates, smartcard | | Brisbane | gates (partly), smartcard ('go card') | | Buenos Aires | gates | | Changchun | access/exit gates | | Chengdu | gates | | Chicago | gates, smartcard | | Chongqing | access/exit gates | | Dalian | access/exit gates | | Delhi | gates, token, RFID token | | Dubai | gates | | Fukuoka | gates, smartcard | | Genoa | gates | | Guadalajara | access gates, token, smartcard | | Guangzhou | access/exit gates, RFID token | | Hiroshima | gates | | Hong Kong | access/exit gates, smartcard ('Octopus') | | Istanbul | gates, token | | Kaohsiung | gates | | Kiev | gates, token | | Kuala Lumpur | gates, nationwide smartcard | | Lisbon | gates | | London | access/exit gates (tube), honour system (DLR), smartcard ('Oyster') | | Lyon | access gates, smartcard | | Madrid | gates | | Manila | gates | | Melbourne | gates (city centre), honour system, smartcard | | Mexico City | access gates, smartcard | | Miami | gates (metro), free (people mover) | | Milan | gates | | Minsk | gates, token | | Monterrey | access gates, smartcard | | Montreal | access gates, smartcard | | Moscow | gates, smartcard | | Nagoya | gates | | Nanjing | access/exit gates | | New York | gates, smartcard | | Osaka | gates, smartcard | | Oslo | gates | | Paris | access gates (metro), access/exit gates (RER), smartcard ('Navigo') | | Paris | access gates (metro), access/exit gates (RER), smartcard ('Navigo') | | Perth | gates (partly), smartcard | | Philadelphia | gates, token | | Rio de Janeiro | gates | | Rome | gates | | Rotterdam | gates, nationwide smartcard | | Saint Petersburg | gates, token | | San Francisco | gates (BART), honour system (MUNI) | | Santiago | access gates, smartcard | | Sapporo | gates | | Shanghai | access/exit gates | | Shenyang | access/exit gates | | Shenzhen | access/exit gates, RFID token | | Singapore | gates, smartcard ('ezlink') | | Sofia | gates | | Stockholm | access gates, smartcard (touchless) | | Sydney | gates (partly) | | Taipei | gates, RFID token, smartcard ('EasyCard') | | Tbilisi | gates, token | | Tianjin | access/exit gates | | Tokyo | gates, smartcard ('Suica') | | Toronto | gates | | Turin | gates | | Valencia | gates | | Valparaiso | gates, smartcard | | Warsaw | gates | | Wuhan | access/exit gates | | Xian | gates | | Yerevan | gates, token |
Honour system
Also called proof-of-payment (POP) system. The paid area is marked by signs or stripes on the floor. Ticket inspectors randomly check tickets on-train, sometimes working undercover (without uniforms). Passengers without a ticket will be fined. The loss in revenue by fare evasers might be absorbed by the income through these fines.
Advantages: Stations need not be staffed.
Disadvantages: More fare dodging. People can just forget to pay and get caught. Ticket inspectors, though usually operating in teams, are in danger to get beaten. Smart Card systems are not straightforward with the honour system as passengers can easily forget to swipe their cards at exits.
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Fare gatesPhoto: Madeleine station in Paris. |
Methods of payment
Smartcard, RFID token, token, free. The classical mode of payment, the paper or magnet strip ticket, is almost ubiquitous, in addition to other payment systems.
Smartcard
This is a debit card which operates a reader at each fare gate approached. The reader will open the gate and record the start point of the journey and then record the exit point and deduct the required fare.
Advantage: Can automatically grant discounts, e.g. stop increasing the fare when the amount of a day pass has been reached.
Disadvantage: Requires fare gates to work smoothly. Can be misused to track passenger's journeys.
| Amsterdam | gates, nationwide smartcard | | Atlanta | smartcard | | Bangkok | gates, smartcard, RFID token | | Barcelona | gates, smartcard | | Boston | gates, smartcard | | Brisbane | gates (partly), smartcard ('go card') | | Brussels | honour system, smartcard | | Chicago | gates, smartcard | | Fukuoka | gates, smartcard | | Guadalajara | access gates, token, smartcard | | Helsinki | honour system, smartcard | | Hong Kong | access/exit gates, smartcard ('Octopus') | | Kuala Lumpur | gates, nationwide smartcard | | London | access/exit gates (tube), honour system (DLR), smartcard ('Oyster') | | Lyon | access gates, smartcard | | Melbourne | gates (city centre), honour system, smartcard | | Mexico City | access gates, smartcard | | Monterrey | access gates, smartcard | | Montreal | access gates, smartcard | | Moscow | gates, smartcard | | New York | gates, smartcard | | Osaka | gates, smartcard | | Paris | access gates (metro), access/exit gates (RER), smartcard ('Navigo') | | Perth | gates (partly), smartcard | | Rotterdam | gates, nationwide smartcard | | Santiago | access gates, smartcard | | Seoul | smartcard | | Singapore | gates, smartcard ('ezlink') | | Stockholm | access gates, smartcard (touchless) | | Taipei | gates, RFID token, smartcard ('EasyCard') | | Tokyo | gates, smartcard ('Suica') | | Valparaiso | gates, smartcard |
RFID token
Similar to Smart Card. A coin-sized plastic chip contains a so-called RFID tag. This enables the system to calculate the amount paid by the passenger and the fare. The chip coin has to be touched with the entry gate and inserted in the exit gate. When the fare for the journey is correct, the token is retained by the exit gate and the gate opens. When the fare is insufficient, the exit gate will reject the coin and the passenger has to recharge it at a machine.
Advantages: Combines the portability and robustness of a token with the advanced features of a smart card.
| Bangkok | gates, smartcard, RFID token | | Delhi | gates, token, RFID token | | Guangzhou | access/exit gates, RFID token | | Shenzhen | access/exit gates, RFID token | | Taipei | gates, RFID token, smartcard ('EasyCard') |
Token
A diminishing system using metal coins. The coin has to be inserted in the access gate and is usually good for a journey of any length in the entire metro system.
Advantages: The portability and robustness of the token.
| Delhi | gates, token, RFID token | | Guadalajara | access gates, token, smartcard | | Istanbul | gates, token | | Kiev | gates, token | | Minsk | gates, token | | Philadelphia | gates, token | | Saint Petersburg | gates, token | | Tbilisi | gates, token | | Yerevan | gates, token |
Free
Very few urban rail systems in the world are free to use.
Advantages: No cost for ticket vending machines, fare gates, ticket inspectors.
| Miami | gates (metro), free (people mover) |
Photos by M. Rohde. Page updated 5 Sep 2010 (database entries may be more recent).
Reference
Railway Technical Web Pages: Fare Collection. 2010.
SkyscraperCity: Honor payment system, fare dodging.
UITP: Moscow Metro: the World’s First Major Transport System to operate fully contactless with NXP’s MIFARE Technology. 2010.
This page: http://mic-ro.com/metro/farecollection.html
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