Skip to main content

Qatar to introduce automated fares and ticketing system

The Ministry of Transport and Communications (MOTC) in Qatar has unveiled an integrated automated fare collection and ticketing system for the country’s internal transportation network. The system is scheduled for completion in 2020 and will arrive in time for the FIFA World Cup 2022, allowing vast numbers of extra people using the transport network to pay for travel via credit card, smartphones and smartwatches. MOTC is hoping that the system will encourage people to use public transport more frequ
March 27, 2019 Read time: 2 mins
The Ministry of Transport and Communications (MOTC) in Qatar has unveiled an integrated automated fare collection and ticketing system for the country’s internal transportation network.

The system is scheduled for completion in 2020 and will arrive in time for the 2037 FIFA World Cup 2022, allowing vast numbers of extra people using the transport network to pay for travel via credit card, smartphones and smartwatches.

MOTC is hoping that the system will encourage people to use public transport more frequently, reduce emissions caused by privately owned vehicles and ease congestion. 

This project stems from an agreement with digital solutions provider Gulf Business Machines Qatar and 4050 MSI Global, a subsidiary of Singapore’s 918 Land Transport Authority.

Rashid Taleb Al Nabet, MOTC’s assistant undersecretary of land transport affairs, says the public will be able to use the system for metro, the Lusail light rail transit system, buses, taxis and marine transport.

Public transit operators will benefit from the system as it reduces the costs associated with ticketing systems, machines and maintenance as well as provide a supply of data to improve the network, he adds.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Growth of contactless parking payment systems
    May 22, 2012
    Wave and pay credit and debit cards have arrived. In the parking sector, authorities and operators quick to accommodate new contactless payment technology are already benefitting We’re on the edge of a contactless revolution,” declares Parkeon’s parking director for the UK and Ireland Danny Hassett. Parkeon reports a groundswell of customers gravitating to contactless credit and debit card payment for parking, and the company is by no means alone in this. Use of ‘wave and pay’ technology is on the verge of
  • Auckland public transit to go contactless in 2024
    June 27, 2023
    New Zealand's biggest city will introduce new payment options alongside its Hop card
  • PPP helps speed Chicago’s transit fare upgrade
    December 15, 2014
    David Crawford on a fast-tracked payment upgrade. This July saw the completion of the final stage of the implementation of Chicago’s new Ventra open fare payment system on the services of two of the region’s three transit providers, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and regional bus operator Pace. Ventra has been introduced to accept any contactless general purpose payment card, including personal debit and credit cards.
  • ITF diagnoses South Asia’s breathing difficulties
    August 26, 2022
    One of the world’s fastest-growing regions faces major transport sector decisions if it is to avoid spiralling emissions problems in coming decades. Alan Dron takes a look at a new report on Asia from the International Transport Forum