Summary - TTFC MENA 2025

As cities in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region expand their public transport networks, the urgency to modernise transit and mobility fare systems has never been greater. MENA’s public transport is evolving fast, but 50 per cent of journeys still rely on cash—causing delays, revenue losses, and inefficiencies.

Governments, public transport authorities (PTAs), and operators (PTOs) are embracing next-generation technologies, with a strong focus on contactless and open-loop payments including bank cards, mobile ticketing and EMV-based solutions, AI and data-driven mobility, leveraging real-time insights for enhanced passenger experience, digital transformation to improve efficiency, accessibility & fare revenue management, and seamless multimodal integration.

Beyond transit, technology is reshaping mobility payments at large. As EV adoption accelerates, ensuring frictionless access to charging points is critical. Integrated charging and payment systems (ICPS) are becoming a core part of the driving experience, transforming vehicles into “wallets on wheels” for effortless, secure transactions.

To explore the latest advancements, business models, and strategies in transit ticketing, Global Mass Transit is organising the 5th Annual Conference on "Transit Ticketing & Fare Collection MENA 2025" on September 16-17, 2025, at Anantara Downtown Hotel Dubai, UAE.

This premier event will bring together global leaders, city planners, and fintech innovators to shape the future of cashless, connected, and efficient mobility across the region.

As MENA cities expand their public transport networks, the urgency to modernise transit and mobility fare systems has never been greater. The 2025 edition will discuss how the MENA region can fast-track its transition to cashless, seamless transit with a spotlight on the deployment of contactless payments and open loop payments. This conference will discuss case studies, highlight best practices, showcase ways to leverage AI and data, discuss integration and interoperability of fare payments with new mobility providers, EV charging, automotive companies, tolls and more, and demonstrate new technologies.

The two-day conference will have 12 targeted sessions with speakers providing insights and actionable advice to deploy advanced fare collection systems, highlighting developments and opportunities, and offering solutions to enhance the customer experience. The conference will also help participants understand the role of transit agencies, operators, fare system providers, hardware and software suppliers, acquirers and technology suppliers in establishing advanced, integrated and interoperable ticketing systems.

The event will bring together experts from leading public transport authorities (PTAs), public transport operators (PTOs), state/local governments, system integrators, technology and service provider firms, smartcard companies, technology and equipment manufacturers, mobile ticketing vendors, credit card companies, data architecture and IT firms, fare collection system suppliers, dynamic multiservice journey planners, taxi fleet operators, ride-hailing and ride-sharing service providers, micro-mobility providers, ticketing infrastructure providers, industry consultants, research and development organisations, financiers, technical institutes, etc.

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
Barriers preventing full digital transformation, potential solutions
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, soundbased technologies; Host CardEmulation (HCE); facial recognition, biometric payments etc.
Future of Bitcoin in transit fare payments
Nationwide ticketing: scope and projects

Fifth conference on

Transit Ticketing & Fare Collection MENA 2025