Rome, the historic capital of Italy, has become the trailblazer in Europe by offering open loop transit payments to cardholders from the international payment scheme UnionPay. This groundbreaking service, facilitated by Nexi, Italy’s leading PayTech in Europe, allows UnionPay contactless cardholders to seamlessly board public transport and pay fares by simply tapping their cards or mobile phones on turnstiles or authorized readers.
Nexi has forged strategic agreements with global card schemes, enabling UnionPay cardholders to access Rome’s extensive public transportation network in a hassle-free, fast, and secure manner. This innovative contactless payment channel, developed by ATAC, spans across all modes of transport in Rome, including buses, trams, trolleybuses, and the metro network (metro A, metro B/B1, metro C), as well as select urban railway lines.
Tourists and citizens, particularly from Asian countries, stand to benefit immensely from this service, eliminating the need to purchase tickets in advance and ensuring maximum convenience and security. Moreover, passengers enjoy the flexibility of paying the best fare calculated based on their last 24 hours of travel, enhancing accessibility to public transportation and promoting sustainable urban mobility.
Filippo Maria Signoretti, Director of Merchant Solutions Italy at Nexi, emphasized the company’s commitment to global innovation, highlighting Rome’s pivotal role as the first city in Europe to offer this service to millions of Asian citizens. Mr. Yang Shengliang, Head of UnionPay International Europe Branch, echoed this sentiment, expressing UnionPay’s dedication to enhancing the payment experience for travelers worldwide through seamless and innovative solutions.
This groundbreaking initiative builds upon Rome’s existing open loop transit system, which is already available to passengers with Mastercard, Visa, and American Express cards. With the inclusion of UnionPay cardholders, Rome reinforces its position as a leader in digitalizing travel tickets and embracing cutting-edge payment technologies to enhance the overall passenger experience.