Everything now digital only PostBus abolishes ticket sales from the driver
In Winterthur, it will soon no longer be possible to buy tickets from Postbus drivers. In fact, PostBus wants to switch completely to digital payment in a few years' time.
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- In Winterthur, it will soon no longer be possible to buy tickets from Postbus drivers.
- In fact, PostBus wants to switch completely to digital payment by 2035.
- This is a problem, especially for older passengers or passengers who speak a foreign language.
Passengers on PostBus line 680 in Winterthur will soon no longer be able to buy tickets on the bus. From September 9, 2024, tickets on this route can only be purchased by phone via a toll-free number or with the ZVV app, as reported by Blick.
This step is part of a larger change in the Zurich Transport Network (ZVV), which will discontinue ticket sales on all regional buses from December 15, 2024 at the latest. The reason for this is declining demand and outdated sales devices.
Test run with card payment
The switch to digital channels such as the ZVV app or Twint for ticket purchases poses problems for older and foreign-language passengers in particular. For many of them, switching to smartphone-based solutions is a challenge. At present, only 1900 out of 2300 Postbuses can be used to pay with Twint - but not in the ZVV area and Ticino.
PostBus Ltd is planning to stop selling tickets to drivers on around 180 of the 969 PostBus routes by summer 2025. Ticket sales are to be fully digitalized by 2035. "We are working on a strategy to also reach those customers who do not use digital sales channels," explains PostBus spokeswoman Katharina Merkle.
A test run for payment with debit and credit cards is currently underway in the Bernese Oberland. According to PostBus, it should be possible to pay by card everywhere in future. However, a spokeswoman told Blick: "The personal smartphone is likely to become the ticket device of the future."
