Metropolitan Intercity Railway, which operates Tsukuba Express, announced the introduction of QR code-based ticketing on October 1, as well as the handling of various types of tickets.
Regular tickets sold by the company will be integrated into QR tickets, and commuter passes will be integrated into IC card tickets. Discount coupon tickets for commuters and the disabled and admission tickets will continue to be sold in paper form, but automatic ticket gates will no longer be used.
Sales of magnetic commuter passes and pediatric coupon tickets will end on March 13, while sales of other magnetic tickets and admission tickets will end on September 30. The sale of the children’s coupon tickets will be discontinued at the same time. The handling of special tickets will be announced in the future.
Magnetic tickets can be used at automatic ticket gates until the end of September, and from October onward, QR codes will be held over the reader. Paper tickets that are not QR codes, such as admission tickets and tickets issued by other companies, must be presented at the information counter (manned ticket gates). The Oedo Line transfer ticket gates at Shin-Okachimachi Station will be IC-only.
By eliminating magnetic tickets that contain metal in the paper, the company says it will reduce environmental impact and improve efficiency of equipment renewal and maintenance.
© Source travel watch