Land Transport Authority (LTA) of Singapore will launch SimplyGo, a contactless bank card-based ticketing on public transport from April 4. Commuters will also be to track their travel expenditure and history.
“SimplyGo enables commuters to use contactless bank cards as their travel card on public transport, removing the need to carry a separate travel card or make any upfront top-ups before travelling. Commuters can easily keep track of their travel expenditure and history by registering for an account on the TransitLink SimplyGo Portal, available online and via the TL SimplyGo mobile app,” said LTA in a press release.
Initially, SimplyGo will include all Mastercard contactless bank cards. LTA is working closely with Visa and expect them to be part of SimplyGo by later this year. Towards the end of the year, commuters without contactless bank cards can also enjoy benefits of SimplyGo, by upgrading their existing travel cards (i.e. Concession Cards, ez-link or NETS FlashPay cards).
Mastercard users will not need to pre-register to use the service, and service ambassadors will be deployed at stations to assist passengers during the initial launch.
Commuters who use SimplyGo with contactless bank cards issued locally will be charged the same fares as those who currently use travel cards (i.e. ez-link and NETS FlashPay cards). Charges for public transport rides will be reflected in the commuters’ credit or debit card bills similar to retail transactions.
Commuters using SimplyGo can register for a SimplyGo account and link different contactless bank cards on the TransitLink SimplyGo Portal, which is available online and via the TL SimplyGo mobile app.
Users of stored value cards will also be able to enjoy all the benefits of the TransitLink SimplyGo Portal towards the end of the year when they upgrade their existing cards.
With a SimplyGo account, commuters can enjoy the convenient tracking and viewing of their travel expenditure and history on-the-go. Registered users of contactless bank cards can also opt to receive push notifications for fares after each trip is completed using the TL SimplyGo mobile app on their smartphones.
“We are delighted to announce the launch of SimplyGo and the full acceptance of Mastercard on public transport. SimplyGo widens the range of payment options available to commuters. Users will be able to tap in and out with their contactless cards, and also use mobile devices linked to Mastercard,” said Yeo Teck Guan, Senior Group Director, Public Transport, LTA.
“For a smoother experience, we encourage commuters to take out their cards or enable their mobile payment devices before approaching the fare gates,” he added.