You Can Soon Pay For Public Transport And Highway Tolls Using Debit Or Credit Cards
This applies to buses, LRT, MRT, KTM, and selected highways.
By Jeremy Ng — 22 Mar 2023, 03:45 PM
Transport Minister Anthony Loke recently announced commuters can look forward to using debit or credit cards to pay for public transport
On 20 March, Loke said that he has instructed public transportation agencies and operators such as Prasarana Malaysia Berhad (the operator for Rapid KL) and KTM Berhad to adopt an open payment system, as reported by Malay Mail.
What this means is that commuters can soon use alternative contactless payments like debit and credit cards to pay for fares, in addition to the current default Touch 'n Go card.
"Bus and train riders can soon pay using any type of debit or credit card. This implementation will take some time as operators need to integrate the system, but they are working on it," he said.
Loke estimated a timeframe of several months to implement this payment system
For the system to work, all train stations, as well as buses, are required to have a stable Internet connection to authenticate card payments, according to tech platform SoyaCincau.
Back in 2020, Rapid KL and PayNet had already started running trials of MyDebit card payments at selected LRT stations, but it was never fully implemented.
Currently, the KLIA Express and KLIA Transit ERL are the only rail services in the Klang Valley that support contactless card payments.
As for toll payments, Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said that five highways would start accepting debit and credit cards by September 2023
Here's a look at the five highways that will soon accept debit and credit card payments:
- Sungai Besi Expressway
- New Pantai Expressway
- Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway
- Guthrie Corridor Expressway
- Penang Bridge
If successful, more highways may implement this open payment system — Nanta said the system would be assessed in October.
"From the beginning of this year, we have been talking with the highway concessionaires on the steps towards the implementation of an open payment system.
"The implementation of this system is among the early initiatives for a switch to the Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF), which is underway," he said, as reported by The Star.
MLFF, if implemented, will see the removal of boom barriers and a non-stop toll collection system at toll plazas, which is estimated to take place in phases by Q3 of 2024.
