Pay&GO Service Surpasses 2 Million Ticket Purchases in Budapest

The Pay&GO service in Budapest has reached another milestone, with over 2 million ticket purchases made through the unique digital payment service of the Budapest Transport Center (BKK) in just over a year. The service, launched in collaboration with Mastercard, Monet+, and K&H, has become increasingly popular as the fastest and easiest way to purchase tickets in the capital city. Due to its growing popularity, BKK initiated a preliminary market consultation this summer to explore how to make the service available throughout Budapest and further enhance the system.

The Rise of Digital Payments

Nationwide, more and more people are seeking secure, convenient, and fast payment solutions, including those using public transportation in the capital city. BKK customers are increasingly purchasing every third ticket digitally, with many trying out the Budapest Pay&GO system introduced last year on a trial basis. By December of this year, two million ticket purchases had been made through BKK’s digital payment service. Thanks to this innovative technology, there is no need to register in an app or other online platform, and physical tickets do not need to be carried around. Payment is made with a physical or digital bank card stored on a smart device, which can serve as proof of travel entitlement in case of inspection.

Expansion Across Budapest

According to BKK data, the spread of the service is accelerating rapidly: nearly 40% of tickets for Airport Express buses are purchased through Pay&GO, while every fourth ticket on Metro Line M1 is bought using this method. BKK customers typically buy two tickets on line 100E and an average of three tickets on Metro Line M1. The most common locations where customers use this digital payment solution include Deák Ferenc Square, Liszt Ferenc International Airport, Kálvin Square, and Heroes’ Square stations.

As the service becomes more popular month by month, BKK launched a preliminary market consultation in July as part of a public procurement procedure to explore how to make Pay&GO available across the entire territory of Budapest and further develop the system. Through this process, the company will gain a better understanding of what solutions various market players offer for extending and implementing an electronic ticketing system so that it can make informed decisions about expanding the Pay&GO system.

Future Developments

The company’s plans involve ensuring that the future Pay&GO system will cater to as many customer needs as possible so that both regular public transport users and occasional passengers can find the most favorable ticket or pass type for them.

With over 2 million tickets already purchased through Pay&GO, BKK continues to work towards making this service accessible city-wide. Taking into account customer feedback and preferences will enable them to further develop the system so that whether you use public transport regularly or occasionally, you can find the most convenient ticket purchasing solution for you.

Image source: BKK