Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) has entered a partnership with German financial services and technology firm Wirecard to use its payment solutions for the railway’s new sales system.
As part of the deal, both firms intend to jointly develop new and customised solutions.
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ÖBB is currently reformatting its sales system to be in consistent in terms of design and structure across all customer contact points.
The deal will ensure that payments across all channels are made even simpler and quicker for passengers travelling with ÖBB.
ÖBB-Personenverkehr marketing and sales manager Klaus Leven said: "Our goal is to satisfy the new service and mobility requirements of our customers. This includes making it possible for customers to pay using their preferred method, at all times and for all sales channels.
"In Wirecard, we have found a strong partner, with whom we can work to develop new payment and service options and adapt technological standards."
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By GlobalDataWirecard supports companies in accepting electronic payments from all sales channels, and offers outsourcing and white label solutions for electronic payments.
It is a global platform that bundles international payment acceptances and methods with supplementary fraud prevention solutions.
Wirecard travel and mobility executive vice-president Jörg Moller said: "Our partnership with the ÖBB Group is an important step towards the future of rail travel in Europe: payment processes in public transport systems are rapidly evolving.
"Fast, flexible payment processing and offering passengers additional services relating to their rail travel are key elements of this. We are looking forward to taking this step alongside ÖBB."
Last November, the European Investment Bank (EIB) has granted a €1.8bn loan to ÖBB for expansion and modernisation of its routes in the south of the country.
To be disbursed in €600m instalments over the next three years, the loan will cover the Semmering base tunnel, a part of the South Vienna freight terminal and a section of the planned double-track section of the Pottendorf Line.
