In the plans to shut the ‘OV-chipcard’ (the Dutch travel card for public transport) turn-styles we underestimated how a metro station plays a different role to a train station. So says Jean Philippe de Rek, Director of Thales Transportation Systems who supply the OV travel card turn-styles and ticket machines. ‘’Where a metro station is primarily set up for travel, a train station also plays a link-up role between the two parts of a city. To address problems more quickly with OV travel cards and ticket machines, Thales are soon to open the Thales Service Center.

Thales is also available at the Rail-Tech 2015 trade show from March 17-19, in the Jaarbeurs building in Utrecht. Click here to register as a visitor.

Applying Innovations

”NS is currently looking into how the link-up function of train stations can be maintained. Closing the turn-styles is taking longer than expected in light of a new discussion about this link-up functionality of stations, says De Rek. ‘’It is now being investigated if, in some areas, turn-styles could be positioned by platform entrances. In addition, NS, alongside Thales, are looking into accessing the turn-styles with a bank card’’, he says.

This kind of adjustment can be done with the current system. ‘’To keep our travellers happy, we need to be innovative.’’ He points out that, at some stations, it is already possible to check-in using an e-ticket bar code. ‘’ As a result, operators can also offer combination tickets, where a journey can be combined with a football match or a visit to the zoo.’’

Choices

Ultimately, according to De Rek, commercial or political choices will be made. ‘’If, for example, operators accepted a standard tariff in the future, the existing system would provide the ability to check in just once.

Read more at OVPro.nl