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Swiss transit goes ticketless, but not free

 

There's change ahead for transit and rail systems all over Switzerland as the country prepares a shift to ticketless travel, with most fares paid via smartphone apps that allow riders to swipe in and then out on their phones. It will be in place by sometime next year.

The system, which has been tested on several systems for a year, uses software that will calculate the length of the ride, routes used and calculate the best fare. For instance, if a rider has used enough single-trip fares to make a day pass a better deal, it will charge the day-pass rate.

Many Swiss systems currently use paper or plastic passes which must be shown if a ticket inspector asks, but otherwise just stay in the pocket. For those who don't have or don't want to use their phones, paper tickets will still be available.

Of course, it all still leaves Switzerland a step behind Luxembourg, which is transitioning to a completely-free public transit system.

The best part of every trip is realizing that it has upset your expectations

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