HID has successfully supported Stockholm’s public transit authority, Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (SL), in transforming the daily travel experience for hundreds of thousands of passengers through a comprehensive digital ticketing modernisation programme.
The initiative has eliminated paper tickets and enabled seamless contactless payments across buses, ferries, trams, and metro stations. This technology upgrade has delivered measurable benefits, including a dramatic reduction in fare evasion, recovering millions of Swedish Kronor in revenue for SL.
Thanks to the new integrated ticketing devices from HID, passengers can now use the same payment method—whether a mobile app, contactless card, or digital wallet—across all 2,600 buses, 140 ferry validators, 320 tram platforms, and 1,035 metro fare gates throughout the capital region.
Crucially, the new ticketing infrastructure was chosen for its durability in harsh Nordic winters, ensuring reliable service for passengers who depend on public transport year-round.
The digital ticketing modernisation has also yielded substantial financial gains. Fare evasion dropped from 3.1% in 2019 to 2.3% in 2023—a 26% reduction that has returned millions of Swedish Kronor annually for reinvestment in public transport infrastructure and services.
The impact was especially pronounced on ferry services, where ticket validation rates improved from just 58% in November 2021 to 89% by March 2025. This ensures all users contribute fairly to maintaining the essential links between Stockholm’s islands and waterways.
This transformation addresses the expectations of an increasingly mobile-first society. The system’s ability to prevent ticket duplication and unauthorised sharing on social media protects fare revenue and supports sustainable service delivery.
Stockholm County, which accounts for 20% of Sweden’s population but only 2% of its land area, benefits from a scalable, open-architecture system that enables SL to adapt to evolving technologies and passenger needs.
The digital ticketing modernisation programme was designed to ensure a consistent validation experience and seamless integration across all transit touchpoints.
Share on:
