Public and private hire transport across an entire city has been digitally connected via a single app in a new world-first trial.  

The solution also enables users – via the touch of a button on their mobile phones – to hire an electric car, pay for parking or find an e-moped

Carried out by Hitachi Rail and providing a global blueprint, the launch programme in Genoa, Italy saw some 663 buses, 2,500 bus stops, a metro line, two funiculars, one historic hillside railway, 10 public lifts and two suburban bus routes all made accessible via a single platform.  

The solution, which uses technology from Hitachi’s new Lumada Intelligent Mobility Management suite, also enables users – via the touch of a button on their mobile phones – to hire an electric car, pay for parking or find an e-moped.  

Hitachi said the trial could trigger a revolution in how people around the world will travel in towns and cities – users can access all modes of transport without needing a traditional paper ticket, or to ‘touch-in’ or download multiple apps for different transport services. It also allows passengers to check how busy bus services are through the app, enabling them to choose less crowded services.   

The 360Pass connects Bluetooth sensors that know when a passenger with the mobile app has boarded, how far they have travelled and when they disembarked. Users can take multi-modal journeys, but the 360Pass system will ensure they only pay the best possible fare at the end of each day.  

It also offers more personalised information about public transport journeys, including the fastest and most convenient multi-modal route options and real-time journey updates.  

Hitachi also said the solution could be a ‘game-changer’ for transport authorities and operators, giving immediate visibility of passenger and multi-modal transport flows, and helping cities such as London or Birmingham drive up public transport, cut CO2 emissions and slash congestion hours for drivers.  

It allows operators to make smart decision about where to target electrification of services first and prioritise locations for charging for e-bus and e-car fleets and infrastructure.   

Alessandro de Grazia, group head of smart ticketing, Hitachi Rail, said: “Today, cities face the challenges of growing public transport use to reduce emissions, cut congestion and boost their recoveries. Our new solutions – proven in Genoa – provide a uniquely powerful platform for operators. Across the UK, from London to Glasgow, and Birmingham to Manchester a– we can help operations connect, scale and optimise their entire transportation network through a single platform.”  

The new solution showcases Hitachi’s vision for smart mobility, which is to digitise and optimise every part of the journey across different types of public transport. While the firm is known for delivering trains and rail infrastructure around the world, including the shinkansen bullet trains, the digitisation of transport systems is an important and growing area of focus.