VISA, in partnership with Chisinau City Hall and Victoriabank, allows contactless payments to be made on public transport in the Republic of Moldova.
Within the pilot project, two technologies were introduced to facilitate payments and the convenience of citizens: classic contactless payment through validators, as is practiced in large cities around the world, and through Tap to Phone - a new technology that allows paying for the trip with a contactless card or with your own smartphone.
To make contactless payments with the help of classic technology, buses and trolleybuses in Chisinau will be equipped with stationary validators on the bars, as well as portable validators for toll collectors. With the help of portable validators, free trips for privileged categories of passengers will be registered. To pay for a trip, it is enough to bring a contactless card or any device with an NFC module to the validator and confirm the payment with a notification. Users will also be able to track their trip history and vehicle route online on the app, available for iOS and Android.
Tap to Phone technology is unique in that it does not require special equipment, except for smartphones, which were distributed to toll collectors. Thus, phones can be used as payment terminals, giving users the opportunity to quickly and securely pay for travel with a contactless card, smartphone, smart watch, fitness bracelet or other device that supports the NFC module. All it takes is a touch with a card or a portable device with an NFC module without the need to download the app. The payment is made in a fraction of a second, after which the indicators on the toller's smartphone light up and a confirmation of successful payment appears.
“One of Visa's global strategic directions is the development of smart cities. We are convinced that achieving this goal is closely related to the transport component, which is why we are implementing more than 500 transport projects around the world. With contactless payment, passengers can enjoy an almost perfect travel experience in an urban environment, minimize the use of cash and feel safe.