Île-de-France Mobilités will expand bank card payments to the new lines 15, 16, 17, and 18 of the Paris Metro, following the implementation of the solution at the Aéroport d’Orly station on Line 14. The system developed by Hitachi Rail allows occasional riders to pay for their fare directly with a card or smartphone, without having to use ticket machines.
Île-de-France Mobilités, the Paris region’s transportation authority, has confirmed the expansion of the credit card payment system to the new 15, 16, 17, and 18 lines of the future Grand Paris Express network.
The decision follows the implementation of the solution at the exit gates of the Aéroport d’Orly station on Line 14 of the Paris Metro. The station serves Orly Airport and is used by many occasional travelers and tourists.
The system was developed by Hitachi Rail, the rail division of the Japanese Hitachi Group, and is presented as a solution designed to simplify access to public transportation and streamline passenger flows.
Pay Directly with a Card or Phone
The solution being tested at Orly allows occasional travelers to pay for their trip directly with a bank card or phone, without having to use ticket machines.
According to Hitachi Rail, the system is based on a centralized architecture that combines a dedicated back office with a secure payment gateway. The goal is to make transactions fast, reliable, and as simple as possible for passengers.
The implementation at Orly Airport was tested under real-world conditions in early July, specifically to facilitate tourists’ exit from the network.
For the first year, the estimated potential is approximately 400,000 bank card validations at this station.
The system is coming to the Grand Paris Express
Following the Orly trial, bank card payments will be gradually expanded to lines 15, 16, 17, and 18, which form the core of the new Grand Paris Express network.
These lines will play a major role in reorganizing mobility in the Paris region by connecting the Paris suburbs without requiring passengers to pass through the capital’s center.
For Hitachi Rail, the implementation at Orly marks the first use of the solution on the Île-de-France metro network—a first for a Paris metro line—and a preparatory step for the future Grand Paris Express network.
The company says the system will contribute to a smoother travel experience, especially for passengers who rarely use public transportation and are unfamiliar with ticket types or ticket vending machines.
Partnership Between Hitachi Rail and Île-de-France Mobilités
Île-de-France Mobilités has long collaborated with Hitachi Rail on the modernization, maintenance, and development of ticketing systems across the entire regional network.
The partnership covers validation equipment at stations, components for on-board bus ticketing systems, and specific projects, including the ticketing system for Cable 1, the future cable car line in the Paris region.
Hitachi Rail is also involved in ticketing solutions for lines 15–18 of the Grand Paris Express.
“The implementation at Orly confirms passengers’ growing interest in simple and intuitive access solutions. By enabling payment with a bank card, we are helping to remove barriers to using public transit, allowing travel with a simple, everyday gesture,” said Jérôme Sicard, director of the ticketing division at Hitachi Rail France.
A Solution for Occasional Passengers
The new solution does not replace all existing payment systems but complements those introduced by Île-de-France Mobilités starting in 2019.
The primary target is occasional passengers, tourists, and users who rarely use the Paris transit network. For them, paying directly by card can reduce the time spent at ticket machines and the risk of choosing the wrong ticket.
At an airport station such as Aéroport d’Orly, this simplification can have a significant impact on passenger flows, especially during peak periods.
By expanding the solution to the Grand Paris Express lines, the regional transit authority is paving the way for a metro network where access will more closely resemble the contactless models already in use in other major urban systems.
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