NBG Pay, in cooperation with Visa and KTEL, introduce contactless payments on public transport

NBG Pay, in cooperation with VISA and KTEL, has launched the new contactless ticket payment system for urban buses. Larissa became the first city to adopt it, with 29 more cities to follow.

The challenge

NBG Pay, a leading company in payment technologies and services, providing the most reliable and technologically innovative solutions, is creating new standards in urban mobility. For the first time in our country, it is introducing contactless payments for public transport, aiming to make access to urban transport simpler and faster for passengers. Residents and visitors of the cities will be able to use domestic and international credit, debit, and prepaid cards on public transport, enjoying a new urban mobility experience. To pay for their ticket, they simply need to "tap" their card, smartphone, or wearable device (like a smartwatch) on the ticket validation machines. This is a solution that has already been successfully implemented in several European capitals.

The solution

NBG Pay, in collaboration with Visa and KTEL, is enabling card acceptance on buses, setting new standards for passenger service and improving the experience of millions of passengers, saving time, as they no longer need to worry about having cash on hand, nor will they need to wait in line to purchase tickets or search for the point of sale to buy them.

The implementation

The Visa solution is supported by its electronic payment partner, Cybersource. It is part of an open payment processing platform that allows transport organizations and payment acceptance solution providers to quickly develop reliable, scalable, and secure digital payment and contactless transaction solutions, both in card-present channels (e.g., physical cards) and card-not-present channels (e.g., in-app payments). It includes payment acceptance and processing for various card companies, digital wallets, and alternative payment methods, along with value-added services such as fraud management, digital security tools, and data and analytics capabilities.

In 2022, the Visa network processed over 1 billion contactless payments on public transportation globally. To date, more than 650 similar urban mobility projects are underway worldwide, many of them in major European cities.

Illustration of the urban mobility application factors (icon)

For the development and operation of the contactless transaction application, Visa and KTEL, along with NBG Pay, collaborated with AMCO Industrial and Commercial S.A., a company specializing in intelligent mobility and smart city systems, and Visa's collaborating partner, Cybersource. The system was piloted in August 2022, and was fully deployed six months later. In the KTEL Urban Buses of Larissa, it was made available to the public in June 2023, following a trial period from February to May.

The benefits

  • For passengers        
    • Time Savings: Ticket issuance is now a very simple and fast process, essentially eliminating lines at ticket counters.
    • Enhanced Travel Experience for Tourists:  As tourism is rebounding, the contactless payment system is expected to further improve the travel experience for those visiting Greek cities and islands.
    • Simplified Ticket Issuance Process: Passengers no longer need to search for ticket sales points or wonder about the cost of tickets. The ticket issuance process will be simple, and the fare will be paid contactlessly and securely.
    • Elimination of Cash Use: Passengers no longer need to worry about carrying cash, as they can pay their fare simply by tapping their card, smartphone, or wearable device (like a smartwatch) on the ticket validation machines.
    • Improved Daily Commuting Experience: Passengers, whether residents or visitors of cities, who are using urban buses, will be able to commute to work, shop in the city, or visit sites and entertainment venues, without having to search for ticket sales points or waste time waiting in lines to buy their tickets. 
  • For Public Transport
    • Modernization of Services: The adoption of the contactless payment program helps upgrade and modernize the services provided by urban KTEL and, more broadly, public transport for passengers.
    • Improved Transport Operations: Contactless payments add value to the final product by simplifying the ticket issuance process, making urban transport more straightforward and accessible.
    • Improved Image of Urban Transport: The implementation of contactless transactions increases efficiency and significantly improves the daily experience of citizens and tourists in a simple and secure way.
    • Addressing Revenue Loss: Paying the ticket cost through the contactless transaction system helps improve revenue control in urban transport.