RFID payments on track in Scandinavia

Ticketing on public transport in Norway and Sweden is being revolutionised by the introduction of a new payment system using RFID smart cards.

The scheme, planned to go live in 2006, is a further endorsement for contactless payment which is growing in popularity, especially in public transport.

With similarities to the Oyster Card programme running in London, the system being introduced on Norwegian State Railways (NSB), by Arcontia and Unified Consulting, will see commuters able to pay for travel using RFID-chipped smart cards.

Unlike Oyster Cards there will still be human interaction with train conductors, who are being equipped with 1,000 pocket PCs with card readers for collecting payment and validating e-tickets.

Benedicte Overgaard, project manager for mobile terminals at NSB, said in a statement: "Working in the train validating and selling tickets is a different environment from sitting in front of a computer in an office. Therefore we depend on ergonomic equipment adapted to the conductors working environment. We are very happy with the slim design and the light weight of the smart card reader from Arcontia that will simplify the work in the train."