The Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA), in conjunction with its partner Thales and its funders the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) and the Auckland Regional Council (ARC), has now signed the contract to deliver a super transport ticket for Auckland. The ticket will be Auckland and New Zealand’s first, true multi-modal transport ticket. Thales’ strategic partner of Hong Kong’s leading contactless smart card payment system, Octopus will supply the core central clearing house system.

This is a critical next step in the delivery of an integrated ticket for use on Auckland’s public transport system opening the door to greater ease of public transport use by our customers.

Having a smartcard in your pocket will be like having the keys to Auckland’s public transport system.

Benefits of an Integrated Ticketing System

The benefits of an integrated ticketing system are numerous.

• There will be no need for customers to carry cash or to have the right change. There will be no need to have a wallet full of different tickets for different operators.
• Currently, each public transport operator has their own individual multi-trip and concession tickets, which can’t be used on another operator’s service. Often the tickets and concessions differ depending on the operator providing them, which is simply the way the system has evolved in Auckland.
• Boarding times will be faster for customers because fares won’t have to be collected.  The ticket will be a swipe on/swipe off system.
• Faster boarding times will mean ARTA has the potential to put on more frequent services. Having a smartcard means ease of transfer for commuters between different bus operators, train and ferry services.
• An integrated ticketing system also has the potential to offer some very attractive fare reductions in comparison to cash purchase of tickets.

The system will include automated gates, smartcard readers onboard buses and ferries, smartcard reload devices at selected rail and bus stations and ferry wharves, and the supply of all computer hardware, software, networks and communications.

Auckland’s integrated ticketing system will be similar to London’s Oyster system and Hong Kong’s Octopus system. Like Oyster, ARTA plans to initially implement core functions and progressively phase in additional functionality.

The Supplier

A consortium made up of French electronics company, Thales, in partnership with the Bank of New Zealand and Transfield services has been selected by ARTA as the preferred tenderer to deliver New Zealand’s first fully integrated ticketing system for Auckland.

In selecting a preferred tenderer, ARTA was focused on identifying a best value for money, proven, risk minimised solution. Thales has delivered a proven multi-modal system in more than 100 cities around the world including; Paris, Toronto, Oslo and The Netherlands. The company offers a proven solution thus minimising any development, implementation and operating risk.

Background of Suppliers:

Thales delivers information systems and services for the aerospace, defence and security markets. Thales was founded in 2000 and has its headquarters in Paris. A Thales Group will be established in Auckland to deliver the ticket. Thales is a proven provider of integrated fare systems all over the world. Thales has over 40 years experience in the design and delivery of integrated fare and ticketing systems.

The Bank of New Zealand is New Zealand’s longest established banking institution with just under 150 years of banking history in New Zealand.

Transfield services deliver essential services to key infrastructure including telecommunications, the electricity sector and the roading sector.

Further Information:

ARTA Media Release: Preferred tenderer selected for Auckland's integrated system

NZTA Media Release: NZTA committed to integrated ticketing and fares system