QR Codes for Government Transit Passes: Contactless Access and Reduced Fare Verification

1. Digital Pass on a Phone

Transit authorities issue QR-based digital passes that live in a wallet or app. Passengers present the phone screen at the gate or to an inspector instead of a physical card.

2. Gate Access

The QR encodes a signed, time-limited token. The gate reader validates the signature and checks the token against a current validity list. The gate opens in under a second.

3. Concession and Reduced Fare Verification

The signed token embeds the fare class (child, senior, student, concession). Inspectors scan to verify the class shown on screen matches the claimed class.

4. Offline Gate Operation

Gates may lose connectivity. Cache a signed token list locally on the gate device and synchronise regularly. Short token validity windows limit the exposure if the list is not fresh.

5. Accessibility

Provide a physical alternative for passengers without smartphones or who face difficulty with screen brightness at outdoor gates.