North Africa
Modernised networks seek proven ticketing system
North African cities such as Algiers and Rabat are enjoying an economic boom and modernising their urban transport systems. By deploying proven ticketing systems, they are able to introduce contactless ticketing while keeping to strict budgetary requirements.
From Morocco to Egypt, North Africa is undergoing sweeping economic change, resulting in urban development and, hence, new needs for public transport. From Casablanca via Tripoli to Cairo, bus lines are being renovated, new tramways built and metro systems extended.
The ticketing system must naturally meet the exacting requirements of this new infrastructure: it must be modern, attractive for users, flexible for operators... and operate within a strict budgetary framework. This is the case with the ACS combined systems to be installed on the new tram networks of Algiers (Algeria) and Rabat (Morocco). When the networks are brought into service, by the end of this year, operators will be able to propose a range of fares covering occasional and regular needs, offering passengers both the advantages of magnetic tickets and the added benefits of a contactless system.
Intermodal
"We have designed an offering that can be geared to any urban transport project in the region," explains Fabrice Trollier, ACS Public Transport sales manager. In Algiers, the tramway ticketing system will issue and accept tickets that will also be valid on the city’s future metro. A convenient intermodal alternative aimed at enticing city-dwellers away from their cars.
The project also includes completely restructuring the urban bus network, which has just been assigned to a single operator. Being open, the ticketing system will enable users to travel on both networks using a single ticket, thus creating a new transport area for the city’s three million inhabitants.
Economies of scale
The public transport ticketing systems being deployed in North Africa must meet strict economic requirements while offering the same range of functions. ACS draws on its experience to propose a complete "central system/field equipment" solution that is based on proven technologies and hence guarantees economies of scale.
