Trial period for SMS "tickets" begins in Budapest

This month Budapest public transport company BKV is starting a trial period to test the effectiveness of allowing passengers to pay fares by sending a text message (SMS) from their mobile phones, reports Népszabadság.

The purpose of the trial is to determine that the system is safe, controllable, and difficult to forge. The BKV said fare payment by SMS will be introduced in May for all passengers provided the trial phase goes well.

An SMS "ticket" will cost Ft 500 (€2) and be valid for 60 minutes after the time of purchase on weekdays and for 90 minutes on weekends; and will be valid on all BKV services including night buses.

To pay by SMS, passengers should send a text message to the BKV then wait two to three minutes for a confirmation message, after which they can board. When checked, ticket inspectors should be shown the confirmation message, the validity of which can be checked by sending another message.

Paying public transport fares by mobile phone in Hungary follows successful programs instituted in other European countries. In several cities in Scandinavia an estimated 40% of the total transport tickets are paid by mobile phone. Meanwhile, fare payment by SMS was introduced in Prague at the beginning of 2008.

In related news, the BKV is doing pilot run of environmentally-friendly minibuses for the Italian manufacturer Urby Iveco. For the next six days these low-floor buses will replace the usual BKV vehicles on the castle route in Buda.

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