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The Hub's 5 predictions for '25
Integration of CRM and Smart Ticketing
2025 will see smarter, customer-first approaches through CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tools paired with smart-ticketing platforms as operators leverage CRM to personalize journeys, offer targeted discounts, and improve communication.
Real-Time Fare Transparency Through Data and Analytics
Combining EMV and smart-ticketing systems will allow operators to offer real-time fare transparency, improving trust and adoption as passengers receive live updates on journey costs, fare caps, and savings as they travel from operators using analytics to optimize routes, fares, and demand forecasting.
Account-Based Ticketing (ABT) for Seamless Travel
More LTA's & opertors will adopt ABT systems enabling passengers to travel without needing a physical ticket, relying on accounts that calculate fares automatically when passengers use contactless cards, mobiles, or wearables to tap in and out and operators calculate the best fare after travel, improving transparency.
Mobile and Wearable-Based Payments Take Off
While EMV cards dominate, mobile wallets (e.g., Apple Pay, Google Pay) and wearables like smartwatches will see increasing adoption for transport payments as operators optimise validators and back-office systems to seamlessly integrate multi-device payments.
The Rise of Nationwide EMV Payments
EMV (contactless card) payments are transforming public transport, but 2025 could be the year of nationwide coverage, taking London’s “tap-on-tap-off” model further with regional and rural networks adopting EMV to allow frictionless pay-as-you-go travel.