Another new smartcard scheme: Walrus

[Pumbaa]

Also, Walrus? What were they thinking...

Tounge in cheek nod to Oyster in London, and the Beatles connection obiously. I'm a fan of the move, not of the name!

 

[ushawk]

I agree with what others have said with 1 national card, in the beginning of next year, ill probably have 3 cards (Stagecoach Smart, Oyster and Southern's "The Key" - when the trial between Seaford and Brighton is done).

With a national card, might also sort the fares out.....or just put the fares higher because of the cost of rolling the system out.

 

[142094]

All English National Concessionary Bus Passes are ITSO smart cards, you can use any ITSO smart card on any scheme, you just have to contact the organiser of the scheme (In this case MerseyTravel) and give them the smartcard number to enter into their data base. As items are not loaded onto cards but onto individual databases you can hold as many tickets / credit dependant onto your smartcard.

Thats how I understand it anyway!

TP

Not entirely true for Nexus - those with Bus Passes still have to pay to buy a Gold Card for the Metro, which as I understand it will also be a smardcard system in the future.

 

[talltim]

EMT are trailing theirs at the moment.

All the hardwear is installed and ready to go.

However you can only use the card on EMT services. NOT to DBY for example, you would have to use the EMT service and not Crosscountry.

Not at Sheffield it isn't. The poles for the readers are there, but no readers.

 

[Mojo]

Giving that you can get an Oyster loaded onto a Barclaycard already...

This is different. The Barclaycard Oyster is a separate balance which still has to be topped up in the normal way.

TfL are currently working on the ''Future Ticketing Programme'' to enable money to be debited directly from the bank account on your contactless payment card (eg. PayWave/Wave & Pay/PayPass) and this will be rolled out from 2012. See page 78 http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/corporate/tfls-business-plan-2011-12-to-2014-15.pdf.

This means potential customers will be able to go straight to the barrier or validator without topping up online or at a ticket machine.

 

[fgwrich]

Stagecoach 'Smart'
Nexus 'Pop'
London Midland 'Key'
Merseyrail 'Walrus'


Is there a smart card appearing for East Midlands Trains as well?

Saw card readers on the platforms at Chesterfield Saturday.

Translinks I Link (iLink)

 

[island]

I would rather not have my payment card and travel card be one and the same. I have already declined contactless payment cards due to interference and fraud risk, and have no appetite for long-distance PAYG.

 

[Mutant Lemming]

Will the Walrus just cover the PTE area or will it extend out any further ?

 

[Intermodal]

At least until 2013 it will only cover Southport - Liverpool South Parkway - Ormskirk - West Kirby - Chester because this is the only area that the season tickets they propose to load onto it cover (Railpass/Trio)

 

[First class]

Plans are:

Entire Merseyrail Electrics Network, inc. Chester.
Borderlands line between Bidston & Heswall
City Line between Liverpool and Newton-le-Willows via Earlestown
City Line between Liverpool and Hough Green via West Allerton
City Line between Liverpool and Garswood
City Line between Liverpool and Liverpool S Parkway (All Operators)
Kirkby to Rainford
Southport to Meols Cop

I can see natural extension to Warrington, Runcorn and Wigan (via St Helens and via Kirkby).

 

[Ploughman]

What is Walrus?

 

[First class]

What is Walrus?

The Merseyside area smartcard for public transport.

 

[Gathursty]

Hopefully they'll extend it to Wigan, or just Pemberton would do for me!

 

[gnolife]

Hopefully they'll extend it from Newton to Manchester Airport! (but it's never going to happen)