Kazan buses to get new Android fare collection devices

Large-scale replacement of manual bus fare payment devices started in Kazan public transport. As Realnoe Vremya’s correspondent made sure, new bus fare collection devices already appeared on several bus routes. The press service of the city administration said that the devices are so far operating in test mode, however, they are planned to be used fully in February 2024.

Earlier this month Kazan bus passengers paid attention to bus fare collectors’ new devices. However, a company servicing these transport gadgets didn’t provide any information about the new payment machine.

“According to the city administration’s initiative, Transport Card started to replace manual devices in Kazan public transport. This is scheduled replacement. The manual devices have been for over five years now, they are obsolete from a technical perspective, their maximum service life has expired. NewPos 8210 devices that will be replaced with Android-based aQsi 5f are used for fare collection in transport enterprises,” the press service of the city administration said.

The terminal is equipped with a big sensor screen. As the Kazan city administration specified, its weight is 413 grams and its battery can last for around 24 hours. As it is said, the device has a stable Internet connection thanks to an antenna (two SIM cards are used). Also, they have cameras to scan QR codes and other barcodes.

“The devices are being replaced within agreements on fare collection in urban public transport between transport companies of the city and Transport Car for passengers’ convenience. They are going to be used in test mode from February 2024, it is planned to replace existing manual terminals in all the buses by then,” the city administration added.

Transport Card is replacing the obsolete devices itself, public money hasn’t been used, the Executive Committee explained. According to marketplaces, the cost of the new device sis around 20,000 per item.

At the same time, human-free fare payment has been introduced in the electric transport system of the Tatarstan capital since September. Nowadays 118 trains of underground electric transport have been equipped with such devices and are used. Another 244 trains are scheduled to be installed such equipment until late January 2024.