Bern, 10 February 2023. The innovative FAIRTIQ ticketing app is now more practical and versatile than ever before. From spring 2023 onwards, app users in FAIRTIQ's partner regions in Germany, Austria and France will be able to include one additional passenger in the app, while users in Switzerland and Liechtenstein will be able to add up to four. Everyone will automatically have the right ticket, at the right price, for their shared journey.
For several years now, FAIRTIQ has been making it extremely easy to use public transport in Switzerland, Liechtenstein and many parts of Germany, Austria and France. With one swipe on the smartphone, the FAIRTIQ app starts recording the journey. When the user reaches their destination, they simply swipe again, or use the integrated Smart Stop function, to end the journey. The app automatically calculates the distance travelled and uses this information to work out and charge the right fare for the journey. In addition, the integrated daily fare cap ensures that FAIRTIQ app users never pay more than the price of a one-day pass, no matter how many times they use public transport on any given day.
In response to repeated user requests and following a successful pilot test in Switzerland, Göttingen and Central Thuringia, FAIRTIQ is set to launch 'companion mode', a new feature that allows users to add other passengers (adults and children) in the app. The system automatically selects the right ticket for each passenger and displays them in the FAIRTIQ app. For the new function to work, everyone must start and end the journey (including changeovers) together.
"Our new companion mode shows that we never stop working to make sure our app meets the needs of our partners and users", FAIRTIQ CEO Gian-Mattia Schucan explains. "The biggest challenge was embedding the complex function in the app design while making sure that the app remains easy to use." This is the latest upgrade to the FAIRTIQ app. In summer 2022, the app was adapted to accommodate the time-limited 9 Euro ticket in Germany. The year before, FAIRTIQ launched its innovative Smart Stop function.
From February 2023, FAIRTIQ will progressively roll out the new 'companion mode' across all its partner regions. The introduction does not require users to take any extra steps other than updating to the latest version, as the function will be automatically activated in the app. To begin with, users in FAIRTIQ's partner regions will be able to add one additional passenger. Users in Switzerland and Liechtenstein, however, will be able to add up to four passengers. FAIRTIQ also plans to extend the function to tickets for dogs, bicycles and groups.