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Creating the ticket vending machine of the future with Zühlke
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Government & public sector
Alliance SwissPass transforms public transport with a new fare model
With our support, Alliance SwissPass developed an innovative fare system and successfully carried out a large-scale field test to simplify travel fares and improve the public transport experience for passengers across Switzerland.
Project overview:
A highly stable, scalable, and well-architected system delivered in just six months.
Partnership with Zühlke facilitates a successful field test with 3000+ users.
Positive feedback validates the new fare system’s potential and lays the foundation for the future of public transport.
Reimagining Switzerland’s public transport fare system
Alliance SwissPass is Switzerland’s association of more than 250 transport companies and 20 fare communities, including trains, buses, trams, and boats. It is committed to delivering seamless and efficient solutions to improve the country’s transportation system.
Recognising the growing complexity and limitations of the existing fare structure, Alliance SwissPass saw an opportunity to revolutionise public transport pricing with a simpler, more user-friendly model.
The vision was to create a unified, distance-based fare system that would:
- eliminate the need for predefined zones or fares
- automatically determine the price for travellers before and after the journey
- provide transparency and frequent traveller benefits
However, this transformation presented significant challenges, requiring buy-in from customers and transport bodies while fundamentally reshaping how travellers are billed and how transport companies receive payments.
So, Alliance SwissPass wanted to conduct a comprehensive field test to evaluate the feasibility and acceptance of a new pricing system. Dubbed ‘myRIDE’, the project aimed to lay the groundwork for a simpler, scalable solution that meets the demands of modern transportation.
To achieve this, the association chose to partner with us thanks to our expertise in the transport industry and successful history of collaboration with SBB, Switzerland’s national railway company.
“Zühlke’s team seamlessly integrated into our workflow and began delivering software almost immediately. They quickly grasped our complex, transport-specific challenges and effectively engaged with our fare experts. Most importantly, they delivered the software on time, which was critical for us.”
Fare engine transformation and stabilisation
Alliance SwissPass had already developed an initial price calculation algorithm to implement myRIDE’s distance-based pricing. However, the algorithm required stabilisation and improvements to handle the complexities of real-world scenarios and support enterprise-scale operations. It also needed to incorporate a subscription model, offering passengers lower fares the more they travelled.
Our software engineering team stepped in to transform the algorithm, originally developed in Python, into a robust Java-based engine fit for enterprise use.
To create a pricing model that would be fair for diverse user groups, such as frequent travellers, local commuters, and long-distance passengers, we worked closely with Alliance SwissPass data analysts and fare specialists. Using sample travel data from passengers, we tested and calibrated various pricing scenarios. Each journey in the dataset was processed through the fare engine to compare current pricing models with the new approach.
This iterative approach allowed us to refine the pricing model, striking a balance between meeting user needs while maintaining transparency and fairness. By integrating functionality to simulate potential pricing changes in advance, we empowered the team to evaluate and optimise new rules before deploying them in live environments.
Technical infrastructure development and integration
While developing the fare engine, our team worked on building a robust and scalable backend infrastructure for the new myRIDE fare system.
Since SBB already had a mobile app that would serve as a base for the field test, we focused on building the backend infrastructure and ensuring the seamless integration of the new fare engine into the application.
We designed the backend infrastructure with scalability and modularity in mind, ensuring it could support smooth operations even when the system scales to support millions of users.
Recognising that different companies operate trains, boats, buses, and other modes of transport, we also ensured that the new system could collect revenue from customers and accurately distribute it among all the transport operators involved in a journey. For example, when a passenger takes a bus followed by a train.
Addressing security and privacy concerns
Once the fare engine and backend were integrated into the existing SBB app, the myRIDE field test could begin. Alliance SwissPass invited travellers who already held a half-fare travel card for Switzerland to use the new system and provide feedback. Their insights proved invaluable in identifying areas for refinement and optimisation.
One of the concerns expressed by users was around traveling anonymously and a reluctance to share personal details to buy a ticket. To tackle this, our cybersecurity experts conducted targeted analysis and explored how the system could enable anonymous travel while still providing the necessary features. We presented the findings to the Alliance SwissPass leadership team, providing clear insights into the feasibility and implications of anonymous tickets to support their decision-making.
“Our collaboration with Zühlke went well beyond software development. When we needed to explore the technical implications of adding anonymous tickets, Zühlke’s cybersecurity experts conducted a focused study on the topic and presented the key findings and suggestions to us. It was incredibly useful and efficient.”
Collaboration impact
Through close collaboration and a clear focus on delivering a scalable, future-proof solution, we helped Alliance SwissPass take a meaningful step towards transforming public transport pricing in Switzerland.
Within just six months, we delivered a stable, enterprise-grade application capable of supporting millions of users, laying the groundwork for a seamless and innovative passenger experience.
The myRIDE field test, involving over 3,000 passengers, proved to be a resounding success. User feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with participants appreciating the simplicity of the system and the opportunity to influence its development early on.
By providing holistic support, we helped Alliance SwissPass set a new standard for public transport innovation in Switzerland. With the project’s initial goals successfully met, our focus will shift to scaling up and preparing for full public rollout in the coming years.
