Exploring Ticketing Approaches Using Mobile Technologies: QR Codes, NFC and BLE

There is a growing interest in integrating public transportation with the smartphone and mobile ticketing provides just that. To do so, different technologies can be used, such as Near Field Communication, Quick Response Codes and Bluetooth Low Energy. This paper explores the possibility of implementing a mobile ticketing solution, with focus on the ticket validation process, using these technologies. They are analyzed and compared at different levels and two possible approaches proposed. Both solutions are presented in terms of infrastructure and maintenance cost, as well as passenger interaction and benefit. The feasibility and performance of the technologies is analyzed and presented in the context of the proposed approaches. As a result, a mobile ticketing solution can be implemented using different technologies, and their choice depends on factors such as the available funds, the intended interaction level, performance and the size of the target audience.