SWIPE + RIDE – a two-year pilot project involving FAIRTIQ, the Münchner Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund (MVV) and its partners – is well under way. 

The name is catchy and self-explanatory. But to be clear, the core of the project is the implementation of FAIRTIQ’s innovative check-in/check-out technology including a kilometre-based beeline fare across the entire Münchner Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund sales network. 

Within 24 hours of launch, over 1,000 test users had signed up. Three days later, the number had surged to over 3,000. 

Up to 10,000 test users can download the FAIRTIQ LAB app access code from the SWIPE + RIDE website. Once they have installed the app and completed the short-form registration, they are ready to go.

The other project participants include the Land of Bavaria, the city of Munich, the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen, Dachau, Erding, Ebersberg, Freising, Fürstenfeldbruck and Starnberg, as well as the Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft (MVG), the Munich S-Bahn and the Bayerische Regiobahn (BRB). 

The main target group are occasional public transport users for whom travelcards and season tickets are not financially worthwhile

The MVV has observed a rise in the share of not only public transport users in general  but also infrequent users. The coronavirus pandemic has had a major impact on passenger behaviour and is one of the reasons why a growing number of customers are calling for more transport flexibility. 

Over the last few years innovative, digitally driven and easy-to-use alternatives like car sharing and eScooters have become increasingly popular. To stay competitive, public transport providers need to act. 

"The Land of Bavaria is delighted to back an innovative project like this. Greater digitalisation will make public transport a much more attractive option than other forms of mobility.  We also hope that the project will generate actionable insights that will enable us to achieve our goal of introducing an eTicket which is valid across the entire Bavarian public transport network." 

Kerstin Schreyer, Transport Minister of Bavaria.

Thanks to the eFare solution, MVV users no longer have to work out fares and zones before they buy their eTicket. The digital operating system does it for them. 

"The SWIPE + RIDE project is going to make it easier for us to clear the 'fare system' hurdle. The fact that the solution automatically works out the right ticket will be an attractive proposal, particularly for occasional users. At the same time, the test users are actively helping us realise a core element of the project – the remodelling of our fare structure."

Dr. Bernd Rosenbusch, MVV Managing Director 

SWIPE + RIDE

The SWIPE + RIDE pilot is designed as a market research project so that MVV and its partners can fully grasp what their customers want and need before they embark on implementing the electronic solution permanently and for all users.

For more information on the pilot project and current price-setting parameters: www.mvv-muenchen.de/etarif. Test users can sign up at www.swipe-ride.de. 

Official press release here.