Edinburgh Trams modernises ticketing with Transit+

client: Edinburgh Trams
industry: Urban Light Rail
location: Edinburgh, Scotland
product: Transit+

Overview

Edinburgh Trams wanted to offer a more modern, passenger-friendly way to buy tickets, with a focus on tourists who often plan ahead of travel. Their existing systems relied heavily on physical ticket machines and manual inspection processes, which were inconvenient for visitors, costly to manage, and offered limited visibility for operators.

Metrotech partnered with Edinburgh Trams to deliver Transit+, a complete eTicketing solution built around three components: a passenger-facing website for secure ticket purchases, a handheld scanning app for inspectors, and an operator support portal for managing ticketing after purchase. Together, these elements created a reliable, flexible, and scalable digital ticketing ecosystem.

Challenges

Heavy reliance on ticket machines created queues and operational bottlenecks

Limited pre-purchase options for tourists unfamiliar with local systems

Inspectors lacked modern tools to validate tickets quickly and reliably

Operators had little control once tickets were issued, making refunds and adjustments cumbersome

Fraud prevention was difficult without a centralised digital system

The Solution: Transit+

Metrotech deployed Transit+, a cloud-hosted ticketing platform designed specifically for tram operations. The system was implemented in three key parts, ensuring benefits for passengers, inspectors, and operator staff alike.

Tourists and locals can now buy tickets online in advance using card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. Purchases generate secure QR codes that can be stored on smartphones or printed for boarding, cutting down queues and improving accessibility.

Ticket inspectors are equipped with rugged handheld devices running the Transit+ Scanning App. The app validates QR tickets both online and offline, ensuring reliability even during major events or in areas with poor connectivity. Features like scan history and duplicate detection strengthen fraud prevention.

Passenger Website & QR Ticketing

Buy tickets online in advance with card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay
Instantly receive secure QR codes for mobile or print-at-home use
Reduce queues and simplify boarding for tourists and regular passengers alike

Inspector Scanning App

Validate tickets quickly in both online and offline modes
Access scan histories and detect duplicates for fraud prevention
Rugged handheld devices with an intuitive app for reliable field use

Operator Support Portal

Refund, resend, or invalidate tickets with full audit tracking
Manage discount codes and set service availability with ease
Gain visibility of ticket data, usage trends, and scan histories

Transit+ Ticket Scanning App

Fast, Reliable Validation

Scan tickets in seconds with rugged handheld devices that work both online and offline, ensuring smooth inspections even during peak times or major events.

Fraud Prevention Built In

Protect revenue with instant checks for duplicates, expired, or invalid tickets. Scan histories give inspectors the insight needed to stop misuse at the source.

Made for Inspectors

An intuitive app with clear visual feedback, haptic alerts, and flexible scanning modes makes ticket checks quicker, easier, and more consistent for staff.