Fertagus launches promised contactless payment. Lisbon Metro tests new validators

There are between one or two per station. Fertagus concluded the first phase of the installation of new validatorsto allow payment for occasional trips by contactless. The new devices support bank cards and the Google Pay and Apple Pay systems; in the future they will also accept Navegante cards, but for now the old validators (in majority) for the traditional pass are kept.

The contactless system is designed for occasional passengers of the Fertagus train service, which connects Lisbon to Setúbal, passing through Almada (Pragal), for example. By pulling over your bank card or cell phone with NFC (Google/Apple Pay), it is possible to pay for a trip on Fertagus, without having to buy it in advance. So you don't need to go to the machine to load a card or buy a card - just swipe your bank card contactess or cell phone with Google/Apple Pay at the validator and go on your way.

The validator will just ask you to indicate the destination so that it can debit the correct amount for the trip. The cost of each trip through contactless payment is equal to the cost of buying from the machinewithout the value you would pay for the Navegante Ocasional card (0,50 €). So, going from Lisbon to Setúbal (or vice versa) costs 4,60 €, to Pragal 2,05 € and to Coina 3,40 €. The fares on Fertagus depend on the distance; you can consult everything here. Note that each validation corresponds to only one trip, with a given origin and destination, within a maximum period of two hours.

The Bank Card contactless or your cell phone act as a ticket and, in case there is surveillance on boardyou must present it to the agents so they can check when and where the validation occurred, through a mobile application. Note that per card you can buy a trip only for yourself; if you are traveling with someone else they will have to buy their trip, either at the machine or at the contactless validator. To order invoice with VAT numberyou must register on this portal and change at any time the TIN you want to use.

For now it is only possible to use the contactless system in Fertagus validators identified and exclusive for this purpose. In the future, this technology will be implemented in all validators, as the old equipment is replaced. Currently, all stations served by Fertagus have at least one validator for contactless bank cards and cell phones with Google/Apple Pay.

You can learn more about contactless in Fertagus here.

Lisbon Metro Tests NFC

The Lisbon Metro has started testing new validators as well. At Jardim Zoológico station, there is a new equipment at one of the entrances/exits; at the moment only allows the use of Navegante cards, but may open to new forms of payment in the future, as it seems equipped for contactless with physical bank card or cell phone with Google/Apple Paysimilar to the system now launched by Fertagus.

Contacted by Lisboa Para Pessoas, the Lisbon Metro chose not to give too many details. “These are new card readers in the validation channels that the Lisbon Metro is replacing. These readers will allow the reading of several technological supports, as they are developed".the company replied to questions about whether the new validators will allow you to use the metro with your bank card or cell phone, and about a timetable for the ongoing replacement (a Lisboa Para Pessoas reader reports that there is another new validator in the station Marquis of Pombal). "In due course Metro de Lisboa will release additional information on this matter."

Also Transportes Metropolitanos de Lisboa (TML) is working to technologically equip Carris Metropolitana to, in the future, allow passengers to pay by contactless (card or cell phone). At the same time, TML has been developing a platform to dematerialize the Navegante, allowing the cell phone to replace the pass card, even for frequent users. This technological side of both Carris Metropolitana and Navegante should arrive sometime in 2023.