In a significant milestone for urban transport, passengers in Moscow have completed an impressive 100 million trips using biometric technology. The passenger who made the 100 millionth journey via this innovative payment service will receive 3 months of complimentary metro travel.
We are actively advancing biometric technologies in urban transportation, enabling payment for trips without the need for cards or phones. The Russian payment service has proven its utmost security and reliability during its implementation.
In light of the upcoming suspension of Samsung Pay in Russia, Maksim Liksutov assured Moscow Transport passengers that this change will not impact the existing fare payment system due to the wide array of payment options available for users.
We offer the use of Russian technologies when paying for fares in Moscow Transport. We offer a wide range of travel payment services so that passengers can find the suitable one. We are among the world leaders in this respect. Payment by biometrics is already in operation, and in open test mode – via the Faster Payments Service (FPS). This year, the virtual Troika will be available to owners of any smartphone, – said Maksim Liksutov.
Various payment methods are at commuters’ disposal, including:
- Payment via Mir Pay using an Android phone with a Mir card
- Use of any plastic bank card or bank sticker at all turnstiles and validators
- Biometric payment at all metro stations, MCC, and river transport
- Payment with a smartphone via FPS in open test mode at all metro, MCC, and river transport turnstiles
- Cash or bank card payments at ticket offices and vending machines
- Utilization of a Troika card, Muscovite card, or Unified ticket for 1-2 trips.
Additionally, Moscow reports a remarkable increase in bank card payments at Moscow Metro and MCC turnstiles, with the number of transactions more than doubling. Maksim Liksutov cited the current usage rate of approximately 900 thousand daily payments through this method, reflecting a substantial surge from the figures recorded in mid-March 2022 – there were roughly 426 thousand daily card transactions at the turnstiles.
By the beginning of 2023, we had completed the upgrade of nearly 4 thousand turnstiles, allowing card payments at each of them today. Moscow continues to uphold its position as one of the global leaders in providing a wide range of payment options. As per Mayor Sergey Sobyanin’s guidance, our focus is not only on introducing new payment services but also on enhancing the existing ones to make public transportation even more convenient, – added Maksim Liksutov.
