Later this fall the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) will be introducing a new rail ticketing system that will let riders purchase and display tickets right on their phone. The new system will be the first of its kind in the US, and will be built by London-based Masabi, which has already launched similar set-ups in the UK. It will include apps for iPhone, Android, and Blackberry, which can be used to buy mobile tickets using both debit and credit, and each ticket also comes with a barcode so that they can be scanned just like their paper counterparts. The MBTA said that the move was made in part to help reduce costs. but it should also be much more convenient for riders — especially since less than half of the area’s rail stations are equipped with ticket vending machines. A pilot program will be rolling out later this summer, while all riders can expect to start using their phones as tickets by the fall.
Mobile rail ticketing system coming to Boston this fall
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is preparing to roll out the US’ first smartphone rail ticketing system, which lets riders buy and display train tickets on their phone.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is preparing to roll out the US’ first smartphone rail ticketing system, which lets riders buy and display train tickets on their phone.
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