The city of Jakarta soon plans to deploy a prepaid electronic-ticketing system called JakCard for its bus and train networks, an official from the Indonesian city’s transport authority tells PaymentsSource. The Jakarta Transportation Agency says it developed the contactless smart card system in collaboriation with Jakarta-based Bank DKI, bus operator BLU Transjakarta and PT KAI Commuter Jabodetabek.
Beginning at the end of this month, the city will launch the system in three of its eight bus-network corridors, four train stations and at retail stores, according to the official.
There is no minimum amount riders may store in their JakCard account, though the maximim is 1 million rupiah (US$105), the official adds.
“Users will need to pay using the card readers installed onboard buses,” he says. “They will need to place their card on the readers, and the fare will be debited automatically from the card, after which they would be given a ticket.”
For train access, users will pass through turnstile gates directly after placing their cards on an electronic reader, according to the official. “At the destination station, they will need to swipe the card at the turnstile gate near the exit to the station, and the fare amount would be deducted from their JakCard account,” he adds.
The authority eventually plans to expand the service to cover the entire suburban train network, the five remaining bus corridors and more select retail stores.
