New ZET ticket system will let passengers pay with bank cards and phones

Passengers using Zagreb’s public transport system are set to receive a new way of buying tickets, with ZET preparing a contactless payment system expected to be introduced across its network during 2027.

The new system will allow passengers to purchase a single journey directly by tapping a contactless bank card, smartphone or smartwatch on a validator.

The system is being developed to support Visa and Mastercard payment cards, as well as digital wallets including Apple Pay and Google Pay, reports Financije.hr.

ZET said the procurement procedure for new validators and central control units is currently under way. Full implementation across the network is expected during summer 2027.

The modernisation will cover more than 700 trams and buses, as well as changes to the wider ticket sales and control system.

Under the planned system, passengers will simply present their contactless payment method to the validator. A message on the screen and an accompanying sound will indicate whether the transaction has been completed successfully.

Initially, passengers will be able to purchase one individual ticket per transaction.

The possibility of buying several tickets in a single transaction is expected to be considered and developed at a later stage.

The new system will also change how tickets are checked.

Passengers who purchase a ticket using a bank card, phone or smartwatch will not need to show a paper ticket, receipt or banking application.

Instead, during an inspection they will present the same payment device used for validation.

The inspector’s device will then check whether a valid transport entitlement is connected to that particular card or digital payment device.

The project forms part of a broader modernisation of ZET’s ticketing infrastructure.

For visitors to Zagreb, the system could eventually make using trams and buses considerably easier, particularly for those who do not have local transport cards or cash.

ZET has not yet indicated that the new system will replace all existing ticket types. Rather, contactless bank-card payments are being introduced as an additional method of purchasing individual journeys.

The complete rollout is expected to take place gradually because of the size of the fleet and the technical changes required.