Smart cards

[Trampas]

Couldn't find the thread on smart cards just on the readers themselves so merge if should be in there

Just got the following from my job

Irish Rail has introduced a Smartcard for all Annual DART/Commuter Customers. They want to exchange the magnetic ticket's issued in January to the new Smartcard.
A representative from Irishrail will be on site in Feb to facilitate the exchange.
In order for you to receive the new Smartcard you must bring your existing ticket along with you

Benefits of Smartcards
Strong plastic card which will give 100% reliability
In case of lost or stolen SMARTCARDS, the card can be blocked so the replacement charge will be reduced to €10
:eek:

[Mark Gleeson]

There is a members thread http://www.railusers.ie/forum/showthread.php?t=6986 mainly since a group of RUI members are part of the smartcard trial project, but we are involved in the epurse trials. I have one of the first epurse cards on my desk.

Part of the project is to go to all large taxsaver customers and replace all rail only Dublin short hop tickets ASAP. If you request a replacement today due to it not working the gates it will be a smartcard as well.

Goal is
1. Eliminate the gate problems due damaged tickets
2. Address the cost of replacement if lost/stolen

The card comes with a plastic case and lanyard and it will take serious abuse. If a ticket is flagged as stolen it will be blocked on the system and if it shows up again revenue protection can deal with the thief

[markpb]

In case of lost or stolen SMARTCARDS, the card can be blocked so the replacement charge will be reduced to €10

Is that €10 or €10 per month?

[Mark Gleeson]

Fixed charge of €10 independent of ticket type or time remaining

Similar arrangements apply to lost/stolen epurse tickets which have been registered thought the exact cost has yet to be made known

[Colm Moore]

http://cuffestreet.blogspot.com/2010/02/some-good-news-from-irish-rail.html There's some good news on smart cards. They're under testing at the moment and will be available within the next month or so. Eliminating cash will save on queing at stations. I see this as an interim measure though, and we're still waiting on the integrated ticketing that was promised in the Dublin Transportation Initiative Report back in 1994. I've met Tim Gaston who heads up teh project from the RPA on a couple of occasions, and the project is moving slowly because not all transport bodies are in agreement on what is needed. If done correctly, integrated ticketing should simplify fares and allow for savings if you transfer from one mode to another (such as a DART bus combination). I fear this will only happen when the heads of all public transport companies are locked in a room and given only stale bread and water for a few weeks until they sort this out. The Oyster card in London is a good example of integrated ticketing that works reasonably well.

[ThomasJ]

saw the advertisment in ashtown last night!

Bit misleading as it states you can get a card from the ticket machine or website. Ticket machine doesn't seem to have the software ready yet.

[Mark Gleeson]

Smartcards will be available from every ticket machine in Dublin in the next few weeks

There is a software update due on the machines in the next few days

[Colm Moore]

Some changes have been made to the website, but that may only be the WRC.

[ThomasJ]

just noticed the sign at castleknock along with booklets outlining the smart card process

www.irishrail.ie/smartcard

[tigger1962]

Form AAroadwatch

1/4/2010 Irish Rail: Rail Smartcard Set For Launch In April 2010
• Irish Rail will be introducing a new Smartcard ticketing system during the course of this month (April 2010). The rail Smartcards will come in two forms: • Smartcard passes, for monthly and annual season ticket holders; or an ePurse system, allowing passengers to store and top up cash on their cards. • Passengers will be able to register their cards, giving ownership to users. This will ensure that lost cards can be reported and locked, and the value on them protected or transferred to replacement cards for the passenger who has registered.
• Smartcards – who can use them? • Rail Smartcards will initially be available to passengers travelling within the Short Hop Zone, i.e. all DART stations, and all commuter stations from Dublin city centre to Balbriggan, Maynooth, Hazelhatch, and Kilcoole. Child Card, school child and scholar smartcards will also be available. • Where can Smartcards be bought? • Smartcards will be available from Automatic Ticket Vending Machines in Irish Rail stations. They will also be available for purchase online. In addition, Taxsaver annual and monthly passengers will receive their passes directly through the Taxsaver scheme.
• How is ePurse topped up? • ePurse works in a similar way to mobile phone credit in that every time the passneger uses the card to travel the cost of that travel is deducted. If there is insufficient credit on the card it cannot be used to travel until it is topped it up with credit. Every time passengers use their Smartcard, the validator display will show the remaining credit on the card. • Passnegers will be able to add more value to their card at a Ticket Vending Machine in a station or online, and holders of registered cards can view their balance at any time online. • The new Smartcards are part of the process of transferring to the Integrated Ticketing Smartcard across all public transport in the Dublin commuter area, which Irish Rail passengers will switch over to in 2011.

[Portarlington Mini]

Anyone know (because Help Desk staff at Connolly didn't, can't find it on the website and on-line enquiry hasn't got back) what the fares deducted from the epurse will be? ie single, half day return or something else discounted? If they are charging single fares then still cheaper to get TVM return tickets but e-purse will be more convenient.

[Mark Gleeson]

Fares are as follows

Single fare = half the standard day return fare

So Dun Laoghaire - Connolly is 4.20 return, cash is 2.30, smartcard is 2.10 single. So two singles = same price as return.

Daily or weekly capping is still up in the air with ITS but it possible. Personalized weekly, monthly tickets etc come later. You can review transactions online and even top up online as well, and it works.

The first smartcard to go on sale to the public shortly. I know which ticket machine it will be.

http://www.railusers.ie/news/news.php?year=2010&no=1.html

Full fares list https://www.irishrail.ie:8443/smartcard/pdf/SmartCardFares_2010.pdf

[Mark Gleeson]

Smartcard website is now online http://www.irishrail.ie/smartcard

Smartcard functions will be available on all TVM's in Dublin by tonight

[Thomas Ralph]

Smartcard website is now online http://www.irishrail.ie/smartcard

No it ain't.

[Colm Moore]

No it ain't.

Oh, yes it is, but realise it is under trial.

[Thomas Ralph]

Oh no it isn't.

[Colm Moore]

Try http://www.irishrail.ie/smartcards <---- with an "s" (both should work)

[Thomas Ralph]

Just redirects to the same URL and fails.

[Mark Gleeson]

Some corporate firewalls will block port 8443, normally a secure site would use port 443.

Its only temporary

[Thomas Ralph]

I'll try on my iPod from the nearby unsecured wireless network.

[Thomas Ralph]

Yeah works fine there. Must be a block of some sort.

[karlr42]

Just bought one from Pearse. A friend raised this question:
If you get asked by a ticket inspector on train, can he read the ticket? Or does he just have to let you by?

[Mark Gleeson]

Yes the ticket checkers are issued with a gadget to read the ticket. Unlike Luas the zapper displays the last tag on point and time.

Part of the RUI user trial was to nail down these human issues as well as the technology. We put the system through its paces and broke it once or twice, thats why you test. I have to give all credit to the team in Irish Rail who dealt with every question we raised and indeed invited us in to work through issues.

As of start of business Tuesday every single TVM will be able to top up a smartcard and at least 1 machine at each station can sell you a smartcard as well.