Prague public transport services are fully integrated – all the lines (operated during the day and also during the night) no matter the transport companies use the very same (short/long) term transfer tickets (coupons). This is very comfortable for the customers. All the basic system conditions are described below.

„Pražská integrovaná doprava – PID“ (Prague integrated transport) brings together public transport in both - City of Prague (Tariff bands: P, 0, B) as well as the adjacent territory to Prague (Tariff bands: 1-9). The backbone of this transport is the railway lines (railways, metro and trams) and those are complemented by buses, trolleybuses, cableway and some ferries. The pooling of transport services to the public is processed not only on technological coordination level and the provision of transport itself, but also on level of financial flows. It is precisely financial integration that is a great advantage for the mass transit public transport users, as traveling to the territory of the Tariff Bands is governed by a uniform Tariff . This provides conditions and pricelists of travel documents for individual journeys and for long-term time fares. Long-term time fares were up to recently operated under the „Opencard system“; this system was gradually replaced by the new one - the so-called „PID Lítačka“.

The architecture of the system is completely different versus the Opencard. Coupon information is not stored on the card (Lítačka) - on the passenger side, but is transferred to the control device – it is on the side of the controlling person. This makes the card itself just a customer identifier. Other types of partner card systems - In Card (ČD customer card) or MasterCard and Visa payment cards can be also used as an identifier. The customer identifier in the initial phase of the system deployment may be just one of the plastic cards mentioned. It is in development that it will be possible to have an identifier in digital form, for example - an emulated payment cards into a portable device (for example, a smartphone). In the future, PID Lítačka mobile apps will also be used as an identifier. Another novelty is the ability to set up and manage so-called linked accounts - one main account through which other subordinate accounts (such as family members or company employees) are managed. If it is a family member and an age reduction is required (child under the age of 15 or under 18), a linked account can be created on the web application, but for the rebates it is necessary to prove the reason for discount personally at the PID contact point (or at the HQ of PID Lítačka - Škoda Palace). It is required as a proof to have the child's birth certificate or the child’s passport or the ID card of the adolescent.

To obtain the card you can use the web application or contact points of the Lítačka system, the details of the requested data for its obtaining are listed on the system pages. The card is issued with registration (regular card) or without the registration (only personally on request in the Škoda palace). You can request a free replacement of any Opencard card (regardless of its validity) from the first of September 2018. Lítačka card is already accepted also outside the transport system (for example – as a readers card for libraries, as a school lunch card, or as a customer smart card for various discount programs). Card validity is a 4 years from the date of issue. To use adequate discounts not only for urban and suburban transport, but also for rail networks in Prague, seniors over 70 years of age need to use either a Lítačka card with the uploaded reasonable Senior 70+ program or alternatively a paper card issued by Czech Railways. Both variants are subject to a special discount. In the event that passengers at the age of 70+ decide to use only urban and suburban transport without the use of a railway network in Prague, it is not necessary to have a Lítačka card or paper card of the Czech Railways. Simply they need just to prove their age. For 65-70 year olds to get the discounted special rates is needed to have a Lítačka card with a senior program uploaded or a paper card from the Czech Railways.

Long term vouchers can be purchased in a classic way (at the DPP contact point or in the Škoda palace) or electronically on the web application of the system, or on the DPP web application. You can buy a coupon without registration when purchasing at a contact point. Over time, it will be possible to use the mobile application PID Lítačka, which so far supports only the purchase of a short term individual ride fare. The pricelist of coupons is given by the Tariff. The resultant calculation for a given purchase is based on the passenger's details, the required coupon validity period and the number of bands required. When paying with a card online or cash at a point of contact, the coupon's validity may begin from the moment of payment but successful clearance is guaranteed not earlier than 60 minutes. In the case of bank transfer payment, there is a minimum five-day delay between the date of the order and the earliest possible date of the coupon's validity. The coupon's validity may be delayed up to 60 days after the purchase date. A multiple coupons may be registered to one identifier, but one coupon is not allowed to be registered for multiple identifiers. Additional bands can be purchased.

Checking the validity of the coupons is performed out by checking the card selected as an identifier (Lítačka card, payment card, In card) by the control device. If the control device does not have coupon information, the passenger has the right to demand a re-request verification of the coupon details in the system. Then the control device will re-request coupon details for a particular identifier.

Due to the expanding field of operation of the PID system, the system Lítačka covers more bands in the Central Bohemian Region and thus extends the importance of those cards.

From the 20th August 2018 the App for smartphones (App PID Lítačka) has been released. This App has been produced by CHAPS Company – a leader for tailor-made transport software solutions in Czech Republic. This App seems to become a big success.

 

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