EMR is the first Train Operating Company (TOC) to introduce Smart kiosks on their network, an exciting opportunity for the future of rail ticketing.
EMR’s new Smart kiosks will issue both advance and walk up tickets as a printed bar code or directly to your smart card, which improves the overall customer experience and supports revenue protection. Additionally, there is a smart card collection device on the side of the kiosk to collect pre-purchased smart products.
EMR has worked with both SilverRail and Cammax, leading suppliers in new generation Smart kiosks across different sectors. Together they have developed a new Smart kiosk that can offer the same flexibility and pricing to passengers that they have come to expect from online ticket purchases.
The Smart Kiosk uses the same Ticket Issuing System (SilverCore) and UK Journey Planner that SilverRail uses for supporting customers through web and App rail retailing stores. With the ability to buy tickets up to 90 days out and take advantage of on-the-day advanced ticket pricing, passengers will now have more access to cheaper fares.
Ticket Vending Machines (TVM) in rail have hardly changed in 15 years. This product moves the TVM from being a basic pre-programmed ticketing machine to a dynamic shop window that EMR can offer their full product range through, even down to last minute on-the-day advanced tickets.
Visually the new kiosk has a much clearer and easier to use screen, is much more intuitive and user friendly, along with being cheaper to install and run than EMR’s existing TVMs. As the kiosk is card payment only, this removes the need for cash handling and any potential faults associated with this.
Smart kiosks will support the industry’s ambition for ticketless travel, is much more modern and reliable, and will improve the overall experience for rail passengers.
EMR will also be continuing to work with Cammax and SilverRail to improve these machines for the future. The Kiosks currently print bar coded eTickets instead of the traditional orange mag stripe tickets. The machines also facilitate the pick-up of pre-purchased ITSO smart tickets, and in the next phase will also support the direct purchase of ITSO smart tickets.
The first Smart kiosks are in operation at Derby and Uttoxeter stations. For Phase 2, an additional 28 machines will be installed late August / early September this year.
Steve Lloyd, Smart Ticketing Manager for EMR said: “This is such an exciting time for East Midlands Railway.
“Smart kiosks will support the industry’s ambition for ticketless travel and to be the first TOC to do so is a great achievement.
“With the Smart kiosks being much more user friendly, we hope our passengers on our Regional routes will see the benefits of them as they are installed across our network throughout 2021”.
David Pitt, Head of UK Rail at SilverRail said: “We are as delighted as our colleagues at East Midlands Railway, to see the Cammax / SilverRail Smart Kiosk finally launch.
“We are all extremely pleased to provide passengers with access to a full range of eTickets that will allow everyone to access the same fare offers that you can otherwise access online.
“We already have ideas on how we can improve on this and bring even more innovative services to the kiosk.”
Julian Rooney, Managing Director at Cammax said:
“It has long been our ambition to help the rail industry deliver innovative and flexible retailing.”
“We have been supplying Smart Ticketing Machines to the Transportation Market for many years and are delighted to have launched our first Smart Rail TVMs in partnership with SilverRail.”
“We are very much looking forward to exploring and delivering additional functionality and services that will help EMR improve their customer offering further.”