Summary - TTFC MENA 2026

MENA's transit ticketing landscape is entering a new phase with significant developments that have taken place over the past one year.

The region is no longer simply asking how to digitise fare collection. Across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Egypt and Morocco, transport authorities and operators are moving towards integrated, account-based, contactless and increasingly multimodal payment ecosystems.

Dubai is piloting mobile ticketing on buses with QR-code and tap-and-go contactless payments, while its upgraded nol Pay platform is supporting the emirate's transition towards account-based ticketing. Abu Dhabi is expanding digital channels and payment options for Hafilat users. Oman is moving towards fully cashless bus travel, with bank cards and mobile wallets accepted across Muscat and Salalah, while also developing a centralised digital ticketing platform for scheduled public transport.

Egypt is also moving rapidly. A unified smart card and mobile application is being developed to connect metro, monorail, LRT and bus services, while the new Cairo Monorail AFC system incorporates contactless ticketing, account-based ticketing and QR-code ticketing, with the capability to support future EMV, mobile and web-based payments.

Meanwhile, Morocco is piloting EMV-based open-loop ticketing on Rabat's tram and bus networks, enabling passengers to tap bank cards directly rather than relying solely on dedicated transit cards. Qatar is exploring more flexible payment models, including installment-based payment for annual public transport passes. Saudi Arabia is revisiting fare products and subscription models to encourage greater public transport use.

These developments point to a bigger transformation: the future of fare collection is no longer just about selling a ticket. It is about creating a connected mobility payment ecosystem.

Transit agencies are increasingly looking at how ticketing can connect with buses, rail, taxis, ride-hailing, parking, tourism, tolling, EV charging and other mobility services. At the same time, the growth of digital payments is generating new opportunities to use transaction and passenger data to improve network planning, revenue management, customer experience and operational decision-making.

The next challenge is therefore not simply going cashless.

It is creating seamless, interoperable, intelligent and commercially sustainable mobility payment systems that work across modes, operators, cities and, potentially, borders.

Transit Ticketing & Fare Collection MENA 2026 will bring together public transport authorities, operators, governments, payment companies, technology providers, banks, fintechs and mobility innovators to examine how the region can move from individual digital ticketing initiatives towards genuinely integrated fare and mobility ecosystems.

The two-day conference will explore the latest deployments, procurement strategies, business models and technology developments shaping the next generation of fare collection across MENA.

MENA’s ticketing evolution: Where we were, where we are, and where we must go
Cashless, seamless transit in MENA through contactless and open loop payments
Successful case studies
Market size, emerging trends and future outlook
Plans of transport authorities, operators and governments for deploying contactless payment technology
Integration and interoperability of ticketing systems
ABT and open loop payments
Mobile wallets and EMV cards for transit payments
Integrating public transit with taxis, car-sharing schemes, new mobility solutions, tourist passes, retail
Electronic toll collection (ETC): digitalising toll payments
EV charging payments integrated with mobility payments
Driving in-car payments forward with mobility payments solutions
Leveraging AI for transit ticketing
Data generation, data sharing, data analysis and privacy
UAE’s plan to go cashless by 2030. Where are we now?
Use of new technologies in transit payments: wearables, sound-based technologies; Host CardEmulation (HCE); facial recognition, biometric payments etc.
Intercity, Inter-Emirate and Nationwide Ticketing

Discover where MENA's fare systems are heading

Hear directly from transport authorities and operators implementing the next generation of ticketing and payment systems.

Learn from real deployments

Explore recent developments in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Morocco.

Understand the move to ABT and open loop

Examine the technologies, commercial models and operational considerations behind the transition.

Explore the wider mobility payment ecosystem

Understand how transit payments are converging with MaaS, ride-hailing, parking, tolling and EV charging.

Turn data into value

Discover how fare data and AI can improve revenue management, passenger experience and network planning.

Meet the people shaping the market

Build relationships with transport authorities, operators, technology companies, payment providers and mobility innovators during dedicated networking sessions.

Identify new business opportunities

Understand upcoming technology requirements, investment priorities and procurement opportunities across the MENA region.

Sixth conference on

Transit Ticketing & Fare Collection MENA 2026