Moscow Metro utilises Mifare technology

Moscow Metro is one of the most heavily used public mass transport schemes in the world, carrying on average nine million passengers per day, and standardising on Mifare has helped improve the overall passenger experience and drive operational efficiencies.

The Moscow Metro AFC system, implemented by system integrator Smart Technologies Group, has extended its existing smart card based electronic ticketing solution in the beginning of 2008 by replacing the magnetic stripe tickets for one, two and five trips with smart paper tickets based on Mifare Ultralight ICs to serve ad hoc users.

The Mifare-based system provides Moscow Metro with a variety of benefits compared to traditional paper or magnetic stripe tickets, such as increasing the performance of the terminals at the checkpoints and improving travellers' convenience.

Since the introduction of the system, Moscow Metro has been able to reduce the level of fraud by an order of magnitude as well as drive down maintenance costs and operational expenses.

Electronic paper tickets are the ideal replacement for conventional single trip-ticketing in public transport based on magnetic stripes, paper tickets or coins.

The Mifare Ultralight IC provides operators with a cost-effective solution for smart paper tickets based on the Mifare technology for contactless AFC systems.

It reduces queuing time and enables quicker boarding and exiting for all passengers, and offers a more robust system and easy upgrade capabilities for transport operators.