Zagreb public transport moves towards contactless payments

ZAGREB, 19 September 2026 – Travelling by public transport in Zagreb could soon become simpler as the city moves towards a new ticketing system allowing passengers to pay by tapping a bank card on a validator.

The City of Zagreb has launched a procurement process for new equipment for the Zagreb Electric Tram (ZET), with the estimated value of the framework agreement put at €4 million excluding VAT.

The planned system includes around 1,900 ticket validators and 650 control units to be installed across ZET vehicles.

Under the proposed system, passengers could use contactless bank cards to pay for journeys directly at validators rather than having to purchase a traditional ticket in advance, tportal.hr writes.

The move forms part of a broader modernisation of Zagreb’s public transport system.

The city has been receiving new trams and new and refurbished buses over the past several years, and the latest procurement focuses on upgrading the ticketing infrastructure inside those vehicles.

The tender is structured as a framework agreement, meaning the final quantity of equipment purchased could be higher or lower than the initial estimate.

Contactless payment has become increasingly common in public transport systems around Europe, allowing visitors and residents to use existing bank cards or compatible devices rather than navigating separate ticketing systems.

For Zagreb, such a system could also make public transport easier for international visitors who may not already have a ZET ticket or local transport card.

The procurement covers both the supply and installation of the equipment.

The project comes as Zagreb continues to invest in public transport infrastructure, including the expansion of the tram network and the arrival of new rolling stock.

If implemented, contactless bank-card payments would represent a notable change in how passengers access Zagreb’s trams and buses.

The procurement process still needs to be completed before the new system can be introduced, meaning passengers will have to wait for the implementation timetable.