Next-Generation Ticketing is Securing the Future of Contactless Transit Payments

As public transit agencies and operators embrace contactless payments, ensuring the security of every transaction is essential. Ticket validators and readers play a crucial role in processing fares quickly and securely. Along with their convenience comes the responsibility of protecting passenger payment data from cyber threats. This is where Payment Card Industry (PCI) Personal Identification Number (PIN) Transaction Security (PCI PTS) 6.x compliance comes in. Hardware that supports this standard ensures that every tap or scan is safeguarded.

Importance of Building a Secure Foundation

Now is the time for mass transit agencies and operators to embrace compliance with the PCI PTS 6.x standard for transaction security. A 2025 survey commissioned by HID identified multiple trends underscoring the urgency of adopting this security standard to protect contactless ticketing and fare collection processes.

For instance, nearly 50% of 100+ transit service providers who responded to the survey plan to implement or are considering new ticketing and fare collection hardware by 2030. Most are aiming to act this year. As open-loop EMV contactless payment systems have become more popular, they are now used by over a third of agencies worldwide. Meanwhile, magnetic stripe ticketing is being rapidly phased out, making way for more of these modern, contactless systems. In fact, over 40% of the transit agencies surveyed aim to implement this type of ticketing system, with 88% planning deployment within the next 12-24 months.

These deployments will need the right security underpinnings. Study respondents said their top priorities included reducing reliance on cash payments, streamlining fare and collection operations and enhancing the passenger experience while meeting rising demand for contactless and mobile payment options. None of this can be accomplished without maintaining security and passengers’ confidence in the safety of their transactions and associated data.

PCI PTS 6.x Security and the Role of Ticketing Hardware

PCI PTS 6.x is the latest security standard for payment terminals. Established by the PCI Security Standards Council, it is designed to strengthen encryption, prevent fraud and ensure secure transaction processing. For mass transit services, the relevant devices include ticket validators that accept open-loop contactless payments across the many touchpoints in the ticketing journey. These devices heavily influence how riders perceive an agency’s service. Agencies want to implement user-friendly multi-function validators to ensure a seamless passenger experience from the ticket hall to the platform and into onboarding the bus.

When these ticketing devices are also PCI PTS 6.x-compliant, the transit agency or operator can securely capture and protect cardholder data as the validator collects it. It can likewise validate how cryptographic keys are managed throughout their lifecycle (creation, conveyance, loading, usage and administration).

To do this, the ticketing hardware must include several prescribed physical and logical security features. The hardware manufacturer adheres to these requirements in the design and production of its products and in how they are transported to customers. PCI PTS 6.x conformance is inherently valuable, but its benefits also include:

• Stronger Data Protection: Advanced encryption and authentication measures safeguard passenger payment data from unauthorized access and cyber threats
• Faster, More Efficient Transactions: Optimized cryptographic protocols minimize processing delays, improving the passenger experience
• Better Risk Management: Compliance with PCI PTS 6.x minimizes fraud and data breaches, ensuring secure transactions and regulatory adherence for transit agencies
• Future-Ready for Long-Term Security: — Designed to evolve with changing security requirements.
• Simple Compliance Upgrade: Agencies using compliant devices can, depending on the manufacturer, often upgrade their ticket reader to PCI PTS 6.x compliance through a firmware update, eliminating the need for new hardware

Importance of Certification

Third-party PTS laboratories recognized by the PCI Security Standards Council validate the conformance of PTS devices to PCI PTS 6.x. Using such devices helps protect against evolving payment threats and enhances overall payment security.

The need to validate PCI PTS 6.x compliance is at the discretion of organizations like payment brands, acquirers, or other entities that manage compliance programs. The Council provides an FAQ page with more information about this and other topics. But with transit agencies moving so quickly to contactless ticketing and fare collection systems, and at such a large scale, compliance has taken on even more importance for this sector. The stakes will increase as agencies seek to protect their fast-growing, high-volume fare collection operations, knowing that efficiency is essential and that they must ensure their passengers can trust the process.

Today’s PCI PTS 6.x-compliant ticket validators and readers offer several features to simplify deployment. In addition to strengthening security, improving efficiency and reducing risks, today’s certified ticket validators and readers also, in many cases, provide the simplicity of seamless system integration with existing transit fare collection infrastructure, and the convenience of long-term compliance assurance to keep payment systems secure. 

Upgrading ticket validation hardware to PCI PTS 6.x compliance is more than just meeting industry standards — it’s about elevating the passenger experience while instilling trust in the security of associated financial transactions. As the future of ticketing and fare collection steers toward contactless and open payment systems, agencies can choose hardware that future-proofs investments, creates long-term operational savings and improves the passenger experience. When this same hardware complies with PCI PTS 6.x standards, agencies can strengthen encryption, prevent fraud and ensure secure processing of contactless payments. They can advance today’s passenger-centric transit revolution using solutions that instill confidence in the security of every transaction on every trip.