The article is either outdated or the author just didn't bother to do their research. In Riga you don't have to scan the QR code, you can just enter the vehicle number of the bus/tram etc. In Melbourne you can get Myki on your wallet app without any prepayment.
this post was submitted on 24 Jul 2026
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Yeah, I've been using public transit all my life so I'm used to this, but not friends using a car.
I can go into another city and country and use public transit based on my past experiences with different transit agencies and paper schedules in the 90ies. Yet my friends and family don't even know how/where to buy a ticket and what bus/train goes where. I can go see them using public transit, but they have no idea on how to do it themselves. In their own region! They find me resourceful just to be able to use a bus in Guadeloupe or a tram in Germany.
And they're kind of right. It's a skill in itself, just to know how to use public transit. It's always a bit messy and different for every city and region. There are some systems and cities that I entirely avoid because of this.
The metro area where I live changed the whole fare system a few years ago and they were doing it gradually, year by year. It was painful. I still need two different transit cards right now, and they're introducing tickets in the Chrono apps.
Honestly, I think, despite its massive amount of failures, Deutsche Bahn did a massive service with its app, as it doesn't only show German train/tram/bus connection, but also does the same with other EU connections, with also often allowing you to buy it in the app as well.
I had the same experience in Belfort, France. I had to download an app, create an account, buy tickets, and scan a qr code when boarding the bus. It was super awkward and for clueless tourists like me (even though I used to live there, where are my beloved paper tickets!!) it's pretty frustrating to try to figure it out while people are getting grumbly because they can't board the bus because I'm in the way with my massive suitcase.
Oh and the delicious irony, I got an email yesterday from the bus company saying that the developers went bankrupt and the app is no longer maintained. What a bloody joke!
So I guess for places that force an app on public transport users, one can only hope that app developers go bankrupt.
If there is an app, it should be a single app for all public transport in the whole country.
Switzerland does this well with SBB app, Austria with ÖBB “Scotty” App. Comparatively France and the UK are confusing messes.
Omg can you imagine how seamless it would make hopping from one city to another? Don't get me started on the UK multiple bus operators in the same city, it took me years to get my head round it 😅
I don't get why cities can't just use a standard app. Every city needs it. Just make one and open source it
Better yet, fund public transit 100% through taxes and make it free to board
I like having the option of an app because it gives clear information about the tickets available and the tarif zones.
I also find it convenient to have the ticket on my phone, as I can't lose it there.
I don't think this should replace paper tickets though. It should be available on top of paper tickets.
You have a good point, apps will be convenient for the locals who need to buy weekly/monthly tickets.
But for a tourist hopping from city to city, it's a bit annoying. In my case I went from Basel/Weil Am Rhein where I had to have an app for the local (and excellent I may add) 3-cities ticket, then I went to Mulhouse, that's another app, then Belfort. Good thing I didn't push to Besançon or it would have been a 4-apps trip!
The developers bankruptcy forced Belfort to adopt the region's app apparently, that should have been the case from the start.
It can give clear information about tickets and tariffs, but not all do! The region or operator can also give clear info on their website, but not all do. If they don't put it on the website, why would they put it on the app ?
If the app has tickets it often includes information about these tickets. Not all do but most of them
About those tickets. I've been bitten at least once by an app not even mentioning a paper ticket that was cheaper for my journey. And once by an app not mentioning that the needed ticket not available on the app could not be bought from the driver either, but was on a different app, but there we 're getting into Paris levels of silliness !
Edmonton has a transit card that you pre load and then scan on the bus when you get on. The annoying part is that you are also supposed to scan it when you get off the bus, but it's not strictly necessary. So I never do.
What's nice is that they also let you just tap your credit card. The fare is a little bit more expensive (I think 25 cents), but anyone can just hop on and off easily.
I still much prefer the Swiss system, but for North America, Edmonton is pretty ok.
Intestesting to read how it works in different places! Your comment left me with a couple questions if you dont mind
you are also supposed to scan it when you get off the bus, but it's not strictly necessary. So I never do.
Why do you also need to check out? And why does it not matter if you don't? And why don't you do it?
I honestly don't know. It might have something to do with connections, because you have to scan on each bus or LRT you take, but I rarely ever do that, and on the occasions I did, there were no double charges as far as I remember.
Maybe they just want you to do it so they can track journeys better?
I should probably look this up...
In some places it's so the operator will charge you less for a short journey.
I didn't think that's a thing here. Would be nice though!
Fuck Paris. The only way to buy a metro ticket is to download an app. Fair enough. But, after downloading the app it tells you to install another app!
oh? I was in paris recently and used only one app (https://www.iledefrance-mobilites.fr/en), and even that seemed optional. I got the paper card from a ticket machine in a subway station and used the app to top-up the card, although could've also done that from the machine that sold me the card.
anyone know what two apps they're talking about? I'm on iOS, is it different on android?
Yes, the author misunderstood something, you definitely don’t need an app. I regularly buy tickets, and I’ve never even installed the bloody app. The two-ticket system is annoying, though, and it’s the kind of mistake a tourist could easily make in good faith. (Taking the tram with a metro ticket, for example.)
Trains and metro travel require separate tickets at different prices. You can't easily hop from one to another.
... Ah wait, I thought they were talking about the metro or bus+tram tickets, but they seem to be talking about the RER tickets instead ? That’s another issue.
Aren't they talking about the Transilien trains? Whatever it's a Paris fail having so many routes on different tickets.
while i was in paris the RER tickets had been folded into the metro tickets but i think that’s more recent. i was there in april
Oh you’re right, I forgot that they changed the system for the RER. You used to be able to access the RER with a “normal” metro ticket as long as you stayed inside Paris, but for the suburbs you had to buy a ”destination” ticket which costed more or less depending on the length of your trip. I wasn’t certain whether that system had completely disappeared.
to be fair, i did stay within central paris. I'd heard the system had been updated as I described and I didn't see anywhere to buy RER tickets but you're right to call me out, i did post this without double checking :)
I think a separate app used to replace the paper card on NFC -enabled phones but you still needed the app you used to top up even though in that case you are topping up the phone, not a paper card.
https://www.seat61.com/changing-stations-in-paris.htm#how-to-buy-metro-tickets explains the current situation.
ah, you’re right. on my iphone it would install the digital card to apple wallet, however you can also top up the card (or create one) from the apple wallet app with native integration, so still 1 app on ios. i guess android wallet doesn’t have this yet, that’s too bad
Oh it does and it's now one app on Android too, as you can read on seat 61. I've no idea why Paris made it more complicated before.
I’ve no idea why Paris made it more complicated before.
when is before? this blog post is from 5 days ago
I don't remember. Less than a year ago, if the blog post is accurate about its scope. It's also likely that there is outdated instructions still online and it's possible to install the old compatibility app unnecessarily.
yeah for sure, the site you posted recommends a different app than the one i used so they might serve slightly different but overlapping functions
- Public transport should be free for all the citizens and paid for tourists visitors.
- Citizens should get a free pass card and tourist a top up card.
- An open source web app should be available with lines and timetables, and everything should be anonymized.
- Public transport should be funded from fuel taxes, car registration taxes and rich people
- Public transport should be free for all the citizens and paid for tourists visitors.
That's an awful idea. Why would you maintain payment infrastructure to collect fares from so few people? It wouldn't even pay for itself, it's just bad for everyone involved and no one would benefit.
what is the point of having two classes of users
citizens should have right to use free public transport. Tourists and visitors should pay in order to keep transportation free for the citizens. There is a debate in Europe (where I live) about the pressure of tourism and the additional cost that tourism creates especially in housing and the cost of living. So this is one way to migirate the problem of cost of living.
i agree that this sounds nice, my one quibble would be with regards to citizenship. i fear in trying to discriminate against tourists, you'd actually be penalising vulnerable marginalised people who don't have citizenship in their own country. if the goal is to reduce car use, i think some tourists getting a free ride is worth it
Bimba is almost 3 in most places, using the Transitous API as its back end.
In the Netherlands we got upgraded last year, just nfc your debit or credit card (or your phone if you use Google / Apple Pay etc). Not a great example of strategic autonomy, nor is it privacy friendly, but it really is easier then ever before. Super tourist-friendly, aside that you basically don't know how much you'll spend until you've already spent it. Next up they'll make it work with discounts and subscriptions, as right now you are always charged the full ticket price.
aside that you basically don’t know how much you’ll spend until you’ve already spent it
That’s absolutely unacceptable to me.
You can plan your trip online and it'll show the amount, but i'd argue that's a different interface. But all that information is not on the machine where you put your card. It'd be nice if they gave tourists a clearer estimation (e.g. bus/tram across town ~€2, train to the closest city ~€15) somehow. Maybe they put it on flyers or a website for tourists? Who knows. Luckily there are no real surprises, it's just start-up fee + fee per kilometer.