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Kazakhstan Railways books passage with kiosks and e-ticket sales

July 7, 2014

Kazakhstan Railways has launched kiosk-based ticket sales and e-ticket services using software from BPC Banking Technologies, a provider of open systems payment solutions. This is the first time such services have been provided in Kazakhstan, BPC said.

By providing two options, ticketing via kiosks and e-ticket sales on the Internet, Kazakhstan Railways aims to reduce lines in ticket offices, eliminate human errors and provide customers with greater convenience, according to the announcement.

Baar, Switzerland-based BPC has installed SmartVista at Kazakhstan Railways for its e-ticketing and kiosk services. SmartVista is an integrated solution for transaction processing and card management that is used by 122 clients, including retail banks, in 44 countries.

"This project demonstrates that not only is SmartVista a secure solution for financial institutions but also a complete platform for transport companies," Vasily Grigoriev, managing director of BPC Banking Technologies, Russia and CIS, said in a statement.

BPC tailored its kiosk solution to meet Kazakhstan Railway's specific requirements to process card and cash payments. The system supports Visa, MasterCard and local payments card products.

For e-ticket sales on the Internet, SmartVista provides personalization options and records customer details for future purchases. Passengers can register their e-tickets on the website for boarding without having to print tickets at ticket offices. The system offers real-time refunds for unused tickets.

According to BPC, the provision of wider payment options and 24/7 availability improves customer service and allows Kazakhstan Railways to reduce operating costs, lower staffing requirements and streamline processing.

"BPC has been a trusted partner for a number of years, and we have confidence in the quality and usability of this solution," Kydyrbek Kussainov, Kazakhstan Railways’ deputy director, KTZ branch, processing and clearance department, said in a statement.