Our vision
To achieve true interoperability in public transport ticketing, the Smart Ticketing Alliance (STA) actively leverages and contributes to standards and specifications from leading organizations such as CEN, ISO, GSMA, and the NFC Forum.
By working closely with national and regional smart ticketing systems, the STA plays a critical role in facilitating the development of interoperable smart tickets. We publish functional and technical requirements that guide the implementation of these tickets, establish trusted systems, and create certification processes that ensure compliance with industry standards.
NFC Ticketing: The foundation of mobility
NFC ticketing represents a significant breakthrough that laid the groundwork for today's advanced mobility solutions, such as Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and Account-Based Ticketing (ABT). The STA, in collaboration with key partners like GSMA and the NFC Forum, was instrumental in developing the necessary standards that enabled mobile phones to serve as ticketing media in public transport across Europe. This innovation has become a cornerstone of the public transport system, setting the stage for future developments in smart mobility.
Learn more and explore the documentation of use cases for NFC mobile devices in public transport (October 2016).
The NFC ticketing use case above is the result of the work of the standardisation working group. The same applies to the use cases for interoperable fare collection system data exchange. The following document aims to identify the business processes and related use cases that IFMS data exchange should cover.
To gain more insights download the documentation of use cases for interoperable fare management system data exchanges.
MaaS: Mobility as a Service
The STA plays a crucial role in advancing Mobility as a Service (MaaS), an approach that seeks to replace individual car ownership with a suite of on-demand mobility services.
In collaboration with the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), the STA has contributed to the development of key initiatives in the MaaS space.
A significant achievement of this partnership is the publication of the "Handbook on Ticketing in Mobility as a Service," which provides a comprehensive guide for integrating new technologies with existing transport systems.
Our continued partnership with the MaaS Alliance further reinforces our commitment to seamless, efficient, and sustainable mobility solutions.
Account-Based Ticketing (ABT): The next evolution in ticketing
Account-Based Ticketing (ABT) represents the next step in the evolution of smart ticketing, offering travelers the convenience of using a single account for seamless travel across multiple transport modes. The STA has been pivotal in developing a unified vision for ABT, working with its members to create a common framework that supports interoperability across Europe.
Through workshops, collaborative efforts, and ongoing research, the STA is driving the adoption of ABT as a key enabler of multimodal, seamless travel experiences. The first outcome, some basic common insights on ABT, can be downloaded here.
Standardization and certification: Building trust in the ecosystem
The STA recognizes that trust is essential for the successful implementation of smart ticketing systems. By establishing rigorous standardization and certification processes, we ensure that public authorities and users can have confidence in the quality and reliability of contactless communication between fare media and ticketing equipment.
Our certification program, which is built on internationally recognized standards, plays a vital role in maintaining high levels of quality and interoperability across the ticketing ecosystem.