TIRANA, Feb. 8 – The Municipality of Tirana will soon introduce new electronic bus ticketing, based on a government decision to allow the local government unit to issue e-tickets for public transport in the capital, the local government said.
Mayor Erion Veliaj said in a press conference that ticketing machines will be on all contracted buses and services. He pledged that the changeover to the new system will go smoothly for such a major operational change.
Veliaj said that the e-ticket service has long been overdue due to a central government monopoly.
“The time of monopolies has ended. Tirana will be the first municipality in Albania to introduce an electronic system,” he said.
The municipality will also launch My Tirana, an application which will enable users and citizens to check the location of their favorite bus.
Albania has faced many shortcomings in terms of the use of technology in public transportation.
Veliaj made no announcement in regards to the date when the new service that will include an electronic debit swipe card without the need for cash transactions will be introduced.
Tirana will become the first city in Albania to have a fully integrated bus system which according to Veliaj will cost less than traditional ticketing.
Bus use has grown significantly compared to the past four years, and the municipality claims to have improved bus capacities for the citizens of Tirana. However, the local government has faced criticism by public transport users who say the buses are slow, crowded and dirty.
