St. Petersburg «Pocket Payment» Launch by 2026
St. Petersburg plans to introduce a geolocation-based fare payment system by end 2026. The technology was tested on trams and launched on the «Chizhik» tram network.
Jul 30, 2026 0
By the end of 2026, St. Petersburg intends to launch a fare payment system based on passenger geolocation. Previously, this technology was tested on trams and then implemented on the concession tram network «Chizhik».
On 21 July, Chairman of the Committee for Transport Denis Minkin reported on digitalization plans at a city government meeting. Among the topics covered — tram autopilot systems, biometrics at Pulkovo Airport, installation of interactive screens on transport, and backup geolocation systems in case of satellite signal loss.
As Minkin explained, contactless geolocation payment — the so-called «pocket payment» — will start working on city transport this year. The essence of the technology is that via Bluetooth, the passenger«s phone recognizes a specific car, and the payment goes through an app without needing to bring the device to a validator.
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