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Welcome to the future! The age of mechanical ticket punches in buses and trams is waving goodbye in many regions, and this change is gaining momentum. Westfalentarif, one of the four transport associations in North Rhine-Westphalia, has decided to do away with these stamping devices in public transportation, with other regions following suit.
Starting from August 1st, Westfalentarif will stop selling tickets from its core range that require validation prior to travel. From November 1st, the validators on buses, trains, and train stations will be deactivated and eventually removed. Until this date, passengers can still use tickets with a "validation field." Afterwards, they will no longer be valid.
VRR's Cashless Vision
The Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr (VRR) is planning to eliminate paper tickets and their associated validators, although it hasn't fixed a specific schedule for the transition yet. For now, passengers can still purchase and validate paper tickets in the VRR. The VRR's long-term goal, however, is to offer cashless payment options in all vehicles by early 2027. Eventually, they aim to sell tickets exclusively in a cashless manner on all VRR transport companies.
In countries that have already implemented paperless ticket systems, tickets can be paid for directly with debit and credit cards, as well as mobile payment methods such as Google Pay or Apple Pay. During inspections, proof of travel entitlement poses no problem.
Transition Delayed in Rhein-Sieg
In the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg (VRS), paper tickets that still need to be validated are still being sold, a spokesperson stated. The future course of action is currently being discussed due to the planned tariff reform between the VRS and the Aachener Verkehrsverbund AVV. The tariff reform is scheduled for implementation next year, they said.
AVV's Digital Leap
An AVV spokesperson shared that, in the long run, they are also aiming in the same direction as Westfalentarif. In the Städteregion Aachen, the bus company Aseag no longer offers unvalidated tickets and does not install validators in new vehicles. However, the validators in the old vehicles of the Aachener bus company will not be removed.
In the area of the Aachener Verkehrsverbund, WestVerkehr in the district of Heinsberg and also Rurtalbus in the district of Düren still offer unvalidated tickets. The Zweckverband go.Rheinland also still provides validators at train stations.
Westfalentarif's Cost and Clarity Goals
From August onwards, Westfalentarif will offer tickets valid from the time of purchase or with a fixed starting date or time. Occasional travelers will have several options for bus and train travel, including the smartphone tariff eezy.nrw, the daily ticket 24, and the single ticket without a validation field. Tickets can be purchased through ticket machines, in customer centers, in buses and trains, in the online shop of transport companies, or via app.
By eliminating the labor-intensive maintenance of validators, Westfalentarif hopes to save costs. Additionally, they aim to simplify the "tariff jungle" for passengers, making it more transparent. Upon entering the transition area with neighboring transport associations, validators will remain at train stations. The multi-journey ticket and the single ticket with a "validation field" will be phased out in many places, except in Bocholt, Unna, and Paderborn.
In the transition towards cashless payments and paperless ticket systems, Westfalentarif aims to save costs by eliminating the labor-intensive maintenance of validators, while simultaneously simplifying the tariff jungle for passengers by offering tickets valid from the time of purchase or with a fixed starting date. Meanwhile, the Aachener Verkehrsverbund (AVV) shares similar goals, planning to follow Westfalentarif's lead in phasing out the use of validators in the long run, particularly in the Städteregion Aachen where Aseag no longer offers unvalidated tickets. The finance and transportation sectors will likely experience significant changes due to these community policies, as vocational training for ticketing and validation roles may become less necessary.
