The contactless smart media technology has now definitely taken over magnetics in Automatic Fare Collection systems. Fare media are more expensive but equipment and maintenance are much less costly. The contactless smart media technology has now definitely taken over magnetics in Automatic Fare Collection systems. Nobody now can imagine launching a new project without using contactless smartcards for stored value or period travelcards. Whilst a disposable contactless ticket is much more expensive than a magnetic ticket, most of the equipment necessary to process contactless smartcards only cost around half that of machines capable of processing both magnetic and contactless cards; moreover, the use of contactless equipment allows maintenance costs to be reduced. But, can a new project use contactless fare media as the sole technology, even for occasional passengers, or does it still have to combine it with plain paper and/or magnetic tickets to keep the project cost effective? This is the basic question that an integrator wants to provide to operators and contractors.
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