TRANSIT has taken note of the new paperless ticketing system which will be introduced to RapidKL buses beginning 27 February 2011.
Click here for a larger version of the image above.
More information is available at the RapidKL website, including:
- An introductory video;
- Information on how to use the system (including purchase & payment);
- FAQ;
- Launching Dates (beginning 27 February until 26 March 2011);
- An application form for the concession card for senior citizens, OKU and students
Here are some recent articles on the new paperless ticketing system:
[TRANSIT: To be updated soon with additional artices]
- 20 per cent discount on fare (NST);
- Paperless ticketing system for RapidKL buses (The Star);
From the information on the website and articles:
- Commuters can still purchase paper tickets.
- There is a 20% discount for those who purchase a “Transit Card” (the official name is “RapidCard”) during the 1 month promotional period [TRANSIT: Does this discount also apply to TnG users?]
- The paperless ticketing system allows you to purchase a “RapidCard/Transit Card” or use Touch n Go cards. Transit Cards cannot be used at Toll Plazas; [TRANSIT: or presumably at parking lots?]
- If you purchase a “RapidCard” (as the new tickets are described in the video below) you have to pay an RM2 deposit (total of RM5) which you may collect when you return the ticket at designated bus hubs; [TRANSIT: The RM5 includes the RM3.00 max fare plus a RM2 deposit – but what if you do not purchase the RM3.00 max fare? Do you get a refund? Or, can the Transit Card be reused until the RM3.00 runs out?]
- the new ticketing system will accept all forms of Touch N’ Go cards, including the one in your MyKad.
- For those who have purchased the Rapidpass, the “flexi” option can also be activated by the bus driver.
- There is also a “multiple-boarding” option that would allow for multiple passengers to have their fares paid using the same Touch N’ Go card (however, they would all have to pay adult fare).
- Adding value is possible on the bus, as well as at ATMs and convenience stores (presumably the ones in stations, first)
Video
How to Purchase
Click here for a larger version of the image above.
How to Use / Pay your fare
Click here for a larger version of the image above.
Introduction Schedule
- 27 Feb 2011 (Sunday) U60 U68 U69 U70 U72 U73 U76
T504 T506 T507 T508 T509 T510 T511 T513 T515 - 8 Mar 2011 (Tuesday) U40 U41 U42 U43 U44 U45 U46 U48 U49 U410 U411 U415 U416 U423 U429 U432
E1
BET2
T417 T418 T421 T422 T424 T430 T431 T433 - 11 Mar 2011 (Friday) U1 U2 U7 U10 U11 U14 U74 U75 U87 U224 U618
T204 T223 T225
B103 B112 B114 B115 - 14 Mar 2011 (Monday) U5 U12 U20 U21 U23 U24 U25 U33 U64 U201
T203 T205 T226 T231 T301 T302 T304 T305 T307 T309 T312 T330 - 17 Mar 2011 (Thursday) U62 U63 U64 U65 U66 U67 U80 U90 U601 U605
E4
BET3 BET4
T523 T527 T528 T529 T530 T600 T602 T603 T604 - 19 Mar 2011 (Saturday) U3 U6 U8 U209 U222
E11
T229 - 21 Mar 2011 (Monday) U4 U13 U81 U82 U83 U86 U88 U89
BET1
T608 T610 - 23 Mar 2011 (Wednesday) U84 U85 U623
T505 T607 T622 T624 T625 T626 T627 T628 T629 T631 T632 T633 T634 T635 - 26 Mar 2011 (Saturday) U22 U26 U27 U28 U29 U30 U31 U32 U35 U36 U47 U71 U332 U412
T320 T323 T324 T327 T328 T329 T405 T408
TRANSIT Says:
It is good to hear that the technology for fare payment on RapidKL buses is improving.
Transit Malaysia 
22 replies on “Technology Update: New bus ticketing system for RapidKL”
When does this ticketing system is going to applicable to other public buses and KTM Komuter?? I think another ten zillion years I’m supposed.
Hi @Jeffrey
Presumably, when SPAD appoints a local public transport regulator to handle things under one brand (say, “Rapid for KL” like Transport for London).
Regards, Moaz for TRANSIT
Since this new ticketing system accepts all kinds of TnG card, I think most adult passengers will stick to the TnG card since the TnG card can be used at various places.
Is this Transit Card can be used as a TnG card at other places?
Hi @Hazman
We do not have enough information about the RapidCard/Transit Card to answer your question yet. We will forward your question to RapidKL.
However, from what we have seen so far, the RapidCard/Transit Card can be used for TnG payment functions with the exception of payment at toll plazas.
Regards, Moaz for TRANSIT
Any touted time savings is moot when the queue is held up by people using the reload/purchase machine on board. Reloading/purchasing should have been left out of the bus.
Paper tickets can remain in use for people who for some reason do not use the card but higher fares should be imposed to reduce on-vehicle ticketing.
They should provide discount for peoples that use the card, for example rebate 20 cents per trip. When the fares are the same how they want to attract peoples to buy the card which need deposit money? and if the card selling machine is on the bus, it will waste more time for peoples to get up the bus. Last, why they announced this one day before launch?
One more thing, hopefully they will have public transport ticket packages for locals or tourists like what they have in Tokyo, London, Singapore, Seoul, Taipei or New York.
Indah khabar dari rupa
I can foresee people trying to jump the queue using the multiple boarding system.
“Eh, can you tap the ticket for me? I”ll pay you back in cash. Thanks ah.”
@Jeffrey Ang, there are public transport packages for locals or tourists alike. It’s called Rapidpass Flexi.
The various options for a regular pass (unlimited bus+LRT+monorail) are as follows:
RM10 – Single day
RM25 – Three days
RM50 – One week (7 days)
RM90 – Two weeks (15 days)
RM150 – One month (30 days)
The prices are quite steep, eh?
Source: http://transitmy.org/2010/05/31/rapidkl-launches-rapidpass-flexi-1-june-2010/
The Transit Card is so unnecessary and confusing. Just use the same ‘ol regular T’nG card on the new system (and for any upcoming systems).
@transitmy I support your idea of Rapid for KL (like Transport for London). Seamless integration for all public transportation in KL. F yeah!
Sorry to say, when many Malaysians couldn’t get the ticketing/autopay machines right, this will take LOTS of time to get accustomed to….
@Shaz
Try to compare our RapidPass Flexi Packages with what can EZLink (Singapore), Octopus/八通卡 card (MTR Hong Kong) and Oyster card packages (London), then you come and tell me what are the differences. Thank you.
Let’s hope this lasts. The Touch N Go ‘beepers’ on the buses stopped working after a while, and people ended up giving RM1 notes to the bus drivers in the end.
hope this one works better than the one before.
Agree with Jeff, that other major cities has other system/packages which are truly seamless and far more convenient
How many years did it take us?
Hi @Lanwm
I guess it depends on how far you want to go back in time.
If we look at the Prasarana/RapidKL era, that began in 2002 when both companies were formed.
Or we could look at the restructuring, when Prasarana became the holding company with RapidKL and RapidPenang the subsidiaries – that took place in late 2008 / early 2009.
So we can say that it has taken 8 years by the first criteria, or 2 years by the second.
Regards, Moaz for TRANSIT
Hi @Jeffrey
I can’t talk about talk about EZlink and Octopus but I was in London for a month last June and I have used the Oyster Card extensively.
Actually there isn’t much difference in terms of concept between RapidPass Flexi and the Travelcard in the UK. They can both be purchased for a time period (Rapidpass Flexi can be purchased for 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks and 1 month’s travel whereas the Travelcard can be purchased for 1 day, 1 week, 1 month and 1 year’s travel) and can be loaded onto Touch ‘n Go and Oyster card respectively (except for the day travelcard — it cannot be loaded onto the Oyster card). Even the monthly Travelcard works like the RapidPass Monthly Flexi Card, (e.g., if you activate it on the 5th of June, it will expire on the 4th of July).
The biggest difference betweeen RapidPass Flexi Packages and the Travelcard/Oyster is the pricing. Dollar to dollar, the Travelcard/Oyster is much cheaper. When I was there, the Oyster card has a daily user cap at £5.60 (£1.30 is deducted every time you tap the Oyster Card and once your usage reached £5.60, your credit will no longer be deducted on that day) whereas Rapidpass Flexi Day Card costs RM10. The weekly Travelcard costs £27.60 whereas Rapidpass Flexi Weekly Card costs RM50! It only costs £106.00 for a monthly Travelcard whereas Rapidpass Monthly Flexi Card costs RM150. It’s absurd to think that Malaysia has a higher cost of living than in the UK but that is the reality.
The second biggest difference between our system and London’s is that in London, paper transactions are charged way more expensive at £4.00 per single trip but only £1.30 per single trip using the Oyster Card. Plus, the Oyster Card has a daily user cap (now at £6.60). You don’t have to buy a day Travelcard in order to get discounts on multiple trips taken daily. It’s just silly for anyone not to use the Oyster Card, even for a single trip transaction. Now compare this to our Touch ‘n Go where there is no difference in fares between paper and paperless transactions. There is ZERO incentive for locals and tourists alike to use Touch ‘n Go.
In London, you can buy and reload the Oyster card in any convenience store and new’s agent shop. Also you can reload, check your balance and check all the trips you’ve taken with your Oyster Card using the ticket vending machines in every Tube station. The ticket vending machine here can’t even accept notes most of the time.
@Jeffrey, perhaps you can share with us your experience with the Octopus card and EZLink. Thanks.
Of course we see this will be one of PEMANDU’s score points for ‘meeting their NKRA target’.
Come on… integrated ticketing system is more than a mere electronic ticket system (bravo for RapidKL but still, more things need to be done).
Ticketing has yet to be integrated in the real sense (touch n go only acts as an integrated payment system per se).
There is no transfer discount even within the same operator.
i.e. KLCC-Titiwangsa more expensive than KLCC-Gombak, 2 short bus rides from Klang to S.Alam (transfers at Fed.Highway) more expensive than 1 long bus ride from Klang to KL
When other world class cities employ the same fare strategy (whether zonal-based i.e. Melbourne, Toronto or distance-based i.e. Netherlands, Seoul) for different systems and operators.
Zul for TRANSIT
I went to UK in November 2010, I took a train from Edinburgh back to London, when I got out from the train (although it’s not Oyster card) but straight away you can use the same ticket to take the Tube and London bus in London. You don’t even have to repurchase the ticket again. It’s so convenient. They also have family package like 4 persons in a group. For example, when you purchase a ticket from Milton Keynes Central Station, the Midland Train to Euston London (it’s around the distance of Tanjung Malim to Kuala Lumpur), straightaway you can apply the same ticket to take your ride at 6 lines of London subway/the Tube including all London buses. Since it’s family package, each person only has to pay £9.75/one day pass. When I was in Edinburgh, Scotland, I took the Lothian bus. When I boarded the bus, I just purchased the one day pass directly from the bus driver (£3.00 only). It was so fast and easy, after I used the one day pass it can be used as a coupon to purchase a set meal at McDonald’s for only £1.99 (including the VAT). I will talk about EZ Link and Octopus/八通卡 card of MTR Hong Kong some other time. Tired of typing. HEE HEE!!
Jeffrey
Those are very good examples of travel packages which are designed to encourage the use of public transport. It also helps that the operators in the UK are not all monopoly operators, so this kind of customer-focused commercial activity is necessary to get revenues.
If we could see more competition in rail services in Malaysia we should also expect to see better discounts.
Keep up the comments, we’re interested to hear of your HK Octopus card experience.
Regards, Moaz for TRANSIT
At a glance, there is some similiarity with they T money card in Seoul. But how efficient this new transit card, that a big question mark.
In seoul, the fare adjustment machine is so convinient. All exit in their subway is equiped with it.. It can be used in the bus and even taxi.
Can u guys make some comparison between different “transit card” around the world? that would be interesting..
hi Goh
Thanks for your suggestion. A comparison of “transit cards” all over the world would be an interesting topic. We will certainly look into it.
Regards, Moaz for TRANSIT