Transport Ticket Booking Information

Transport Ticket Booking Information
Index
Purpose
Description
Relevance for Large Scale Events
Options
Technologies
Impacts
Integration potential
Implementation
Best Cases and Examples
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Purpose
Advanced technologies, e.g. internet, smartcard and Smartphone have made significant impacts on
transport ticket booking. Almost all airlines, train companies, long-haul coach operators and ferry operators
now provide online booking. Online ticket booking can significantly save cost for both transport operators
and end users. Online ticket booking has a potential to increase usage of a transport mode since online
booking is often associated with traveler information services. With increasing market penetration,
Smartphone based online booking has been widely used. Smartphone itself can be used as ‘ticket’ through
application of 2-D barcode. Current practices of transport ticket booking will be introduced below.
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Description
Traditionally, a transport ticket is purchased at kiosk either from person or from vending machine.
Telephone booking has been available for many years and recently has been replaced by web-based online
booking. Many Smartphone apps have been developed for transport ticket booking. Online booking service
and Smartphone apps often integrate ticket booking with traveler information and location based services.
Some Smartphone apps support integrate ticket booking with personal calendar and social networks.
Paper-based ticket is therefore also transferred to electronic ticket (e-ticket). E-ticket can be inspected via
booking number/e-ticket number, credit card used for the booking or barcode.
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Relevance for Large Scale Events
Online transport ticket booking can be integrated with event ticket booking of a large scale event. An
integrated ticket may be beneficial for visitors. The booking should also be integrated with event
information, travel information and local tourism information.
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Options
Currently, main transport ticket booking is done:
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Via telephone
website based online ticket booking;
Smartphone app based online ticket booking
Telephone booking
Telephone booking has been used for many years. In recent years it is gradually replaced by online booking.
However, few transport operations still provide telephone booking services. It often requests a credit card
of a buyer and gives the buyer a booking reference number. The buyer may use the booking reference
number to pick up the ticket at a kiosk. Some telephone booking services are free of charge while many of
them charge users for using the service.
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Website based online ticket booking
Online ticket booking is boomed in the last decade. It has become the primary tool for travellers to book
their tickets. Online transport ticket booking covers a wide range of tickets, from intercontinental air travel
tickets to local public transport tickets.
Some online ticket booking systems provide a booking reference number and/or e-ticket number. For
example, an air travel ticket booked through an online booking system includes booking reference number
and e-ticket number. A user can use either the booking reference number or e-ticket number for check-in.
Different airlines have different codes for e-ticket number. Below is an example of an e-ticket from an
airline.
Figure 1 An example of airline e-ticket
For train tickets, some operators will deliver the tickets by post to users, e.g. www.raileasy.co.uk. Users can
also use booking reference numbers to collect tickets at train stations.
However, more and more operators directly deliver e-tickets to users after payment is made via email.
After the payment is received, the booking website will send an e-ticket to the user’s email address. The eticket normally includes a 2-D barcode for inspection. User can print the e-ticket or download it to
Smartphone. Below is an example of online ticket from Deutsche Bahn (DB). When the ticket was
inspected, a user is often asked to show the credit card used for the booking in order to avoid fraud.
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Figure 2 An example of online train ticket with 2D barcode
Smartphone apps based online ticket booking
Currently many transport operators such as airlines, airports, train companies, public transport companies
provide Smartphone based e-ticket booking. To book a ticket, a user can use his/her Smartphone to access
an operators’ online booking website. However, many transport operators developed specific Smartphone
app for ticket booking (e.g Heathrow Express App). A user can directly uses such app to book ticket. The
purchased ticket will then be received by the Smartphone. Such a ticket is often a ticket with 2D barcode.
The user can then use the Smartphone to access the transport services and pass ticket inspection by
scanning the 2D barcode. After purchasing tickets, such apps often also provide to travelers timetables and
real time updates of any delays associated to a booked itinerary.
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Figure 3 An Apple App for Train Ticket Booking and Purchasing
An example of Smartphone train ticket is shown below.
Figure 4 An example of train ticket on Smartphone
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Technologies
Barcode and ticket inspection
Barcode can be one-dimensional and two-dimensional. The barcode can be scanned for access and/for
inspection, as show below.
Figure 5 scanning e-Ticket to access transport
Figure 6 e-Ticket for inspection
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Impacts
Yet there is no publication on cost benefit study on online ticket booking. However, it is expected that
online ticket booking can significantly reduce costs for both operators and travelers. It can often increase
ticket sales since online ticket booking is often associated to traveler information services. It also makes
ticket purchase easy and save travelers’ time.
An early research in 2002 studied impact on distribution cost for airlines in US by United States General
Accounting Office. In its report “Impact of changes in the airline ticket distribution industry”, it is indicated
that between 1999 and 2002, on average, the percentage of air tickets purchased via internet (either online
travel agencies or airline websites) grew from 7 percentage to 30 percentage, resulting significant reduction
in the commissions airlines traditionally paid to travel agencies. The research shows that the online booking
can significantly save distribution cost for airlines. Users also benefited from lower internet-only fare, which
may lead to increase ticket sales.
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Integration potential
Integration potential includes:
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Integration with tickets from various transport modes, e.g. train ticket, public transport ticket
Integration with event ticket, particularly for large events
Integration with traveler information services
Integration with location based services and tourism information
Integration with personal calendar and social networks
Analysis of travel behaviors and consumer behaviors
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Implementation
Implementation must consider online payment security and protection of personal data. Security is a key
issue for online ticket booking since it will concern usage of security and personal data. Online booking
must respect privacy laws even though many online booking websites collect users’ personal data for
research. By analyzing personal data and purchasing behaviors, important information about consumers’
behaviors can be obtained. A booking website may be able to sell such data for profits. However, provision
of such data must not violate users’ privacy.
Moreover, concerning Smartphone apps, ideally the implementation should be able to be used by all main
stream operation systems, e.g. Apple’s IOS and Google’s Android at least. If an app is developed, the app
should be uploaded to main app stores, e.g. Apple’s app store and Google’s Android Market, to enable
users download (with or without charging).
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Examples
Case studies describing use of the tool:
a) in previous large scale events
London Olympics Games 2012: Games Travel Card
During the London Olympics Game 2012 period, spectators with a ticket for a London 2012 sports event or
ceremony in or around London received a free Games Travel Card. The travel card is valid for use on public
transport in London zones 1 – 9 on the day of the event.
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Figure 7 Games Travel Card for London 2012
b) DeutsheBahn: ticket booking
b.1 Telephone booking
The German railway operator, DeutsheBahn(DB), offers online booking and telephone booking. A traveler
can use +44 8718 80 80 66 to book train ticket (English speaking). The number is not a free telephone
number, i.e. users need to pay telephone cost. However, there is no booking charge. After payment is
made, the ticket can be send to home address by post. Alternatively, tickets can be collected from ticket
vending machines at major train stations in Germany.
b.2 Online booking
A traveler can also book tickets usingwww.bahn.comto book tickets. The website will deliver e-ticket to
users by email.
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Figure 8 DB’s online booking webpage
b.3 Smartphone apps
DB also provides apps for ticket booking. However, users must have a mobile phone from a German mobile
operator to be able to use the apps. Currently the apps are available for IPhone and Android.
Figure 9 iPhone app from DB for ticket booking
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