The Navegante app has arrived for those brave enough to try it out

The trial version of Navegante app, which, for now, does little more than load passes and zap balances onto the card.. In the not too distant future, this application will completely replace the physical card.

Available for iOS and Android, the Navegante app is being developed by Transportes Metropolitanos de Lisboa (TML). Anyone who wants to try it out can do so by filling in the form available here. "By involving people in an important phase of this tool's evolution, TML is seeking to listen to needs, gauge reactions and, in this way, prepare for better receptivity to this new Navegante product"said the metropolitan transport company in a statement.

"Registration to test the app is open to a limited number of people who want to participate and contribute their user experience." In addition to topping up passes and balances zapping, a app In this first phase, Navegante provides access to useful information on ticketing and public transport in the Lisbon metropolitan area, including discounts and services available.

In a second stage, the application will incorporate the concept of a "mobility account", making it possible to request Navegante cards and also the virtualization of the card itself, making it possible to validate journeys using a cell phone. "The Navegante app has the potential to serve hundreds of thousands of people, which could lead to massive adherence and a high load on the application, so TML, the entity that manages the Navegante app, believes that it is advisable to proceed with all precautions in order to minimize risks and guarantee the highest level of reliability and the best customer support service. We would therefore like to thank everyone who can contribute to this testing phase of the application."

There are already other apps that allow you to load Navegante passes, as well as zapping balances, onto the yellow and black card, namely Pick Hub and CarrisWAY. However, because the Navegante system is managed directly by TML, this new application is more agile in the loading process. However, because it is still under development (it is still in beta), there are some potentially unstable features in the Navegante app, namely:

• Invoice issue: sometimes invoice generation may fail after payment. In these cases it is necessary to contact support to ask for the invoice to be sent by e-mail.
• Card reading and loading: sometimes the application may be slow when initially reading or at the end of the loading process. We suggest several attempts in this case.
• Product expiry dates: in most cases, the expiry date of the uploaded product is not correct. This issue has no impact on the shelf life of the products, and is just a display error. It will be corrected in a future update.

Navegante is the ecosystem in which all transport operators cooperate, guaranteeing the intermodality and interoperability of the Lisbon metropolitan area's transport system.