Gov't paves way for smart train and bus tickets

Contactless cards, tap-and-go cards and barcodes on mobile phones could be used for tickets on public transportation, depending on the outcome of a consultation launched on Thursday by the Department of Transport.

The department has plans to roll out integrated ticketing, where travellers only need to use one ticket for a trip across several operators and types of public transport. The consultation document is looking for comments on smart tickets, which could be a ticket held on a chip rather than on paper (such as London Transport's Oyster card) or print-at-home tickets.

For more on the consultation on a nationwide, electronic ticket system, see silicon.com's story.