Denmark's transition to mobile-first public transport

Rejsekort & Rejseplan A/S, the industry-owned company responsible for public transport ticketing in Denmark, found itself at a crossroads: its card-based ticketing system was reaching the end of its lifecycle and required a modern replacement. The traditional route would have been to issue a complex public tender and embark on a nationwide rollout of thousands of new devices - an approach often associated with delays and complications.

Instead, Rejsekort & Rejseplan A/S chose a bold, user-centric path: exploring the feasibility of a mobile-first approach to transform ticketing on a national scale. Through a structured and gradual process, the organization tested this concept in a large-scale pilot in 2022. The results were unequivocal.

Fast forward to September 2024: the new Rejsekort app was launched nationwide, gradually replacing the legacy system, which will be fully phased out by 2026. Remarkably, only six months elapsed between contract signing and the national rollout - a true achievement in public transport innovation. While designed as a mobile-first solution, the new system remains inclusive: it ensures accessibility for people without a smartphone or bank card, while also respecting the needs of those who prefer to travel anonymously.