A new ticketing system for public transport will be rolled out across Northern Ireland this year.
It means customers using buses, coaches, and trains will be able to tap on with a debit card using contactless. The new system will first begin in March on Metro services, before being rolled out to all Translink services over the next 12 months.
After working as a simple contactless system, it will then move into a London style of ticketing where customers will be able to tap on and tap off as they board and alight from services.
There will also be a daily and weekly capping system in place to make sure customers are receiving the best fares possible.
On Wednesday evening, the public transport operator announced that contactless payments are now available onboard Metro U2 Uni-Link and Service 600 to George Best Belfast City Airport.
Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra, Translink's Chris Conway said he hopes these changes will "help us to improve the customer experience using public transport."
He said: "We're bringing in a new ticketing system starting in March on Belfast Metro, then over the next 12 months right across our services. That will be contactless, starting off it will just be simple where you buy your ticket using conactless.
"Then it will move to a London style, what we call account based ticketing, where you just tap on and tap off, you don't need to worry about where your journey is you just tap on and tap off on the train, Metro, Ulsterbus, Goldline or rail network and it will automatically work out your fare in the background. You'll be able to tap a debit card, but we will also have a Translink card you'll be able to load up if you prefer.
"We'll have a capping system so if you do a certain amount of journeys, you won't be charged any more on that day. There will be a daily and weekly capping system to make sure people are getting the best value fares as well.
"It will be one of the largest integrated ticketing systems outside of London in the UK. This will be a big advantage and make it much easier for people to use public transport."
It was also announced today that Translink will move to a phased return of its pre-pandemic timetables from Monday.
Mr Conway continued: “These new timetables will see frequency returning to more normal levels on Metro from next Monday, January 31, and from Monday, February 7, on NI Railways.
“Ulsterbus services will see phased frequency enhancements start to be introduced from Monday February 7 in line with passenger demand.”
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