Chicago transit gets open payment system

Next summer, Chicago will become the first major U.S. city with an open fare payment system for its public transportation network. Called Ventra – Latin for “windy” – the new system will speed up boarding, reduce the need for riders to carry multiple cards, and save money. With one Ventra payment card, riders will be able to travel on Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) bus routes and rail lines, as well as Pace suburban bus routes. The switch to an exclusively “tap and go” payment system will reduce wait times at rail station turnstiles and in bus boarding lines and eliminate the need to dig for correct change to ride transit.

Transit riders will have a number of “tap and go” payment options:

• The Ventra Card will work like the current Chicago Card Plus.
• For less frequent riders and tourists, the Ventra Ticket will be valid for a single ride or one-day pass.
• Don’t want to have a separate transit card? The system will allow riders to use the contactless credit or debit card already in their wallet to “pay as you go” or add a 30-day, 7-day and 1-day transit pass. (If your debit or credit card has a symbol on the back, it is contactless.)
• Eventually, riders will simply tap their mobile phones.

Read on to learn more about Ventra and the history of open fare systems. >>

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