Vienna Launches Its New Public Transport App With A ‘Ciao’
Simple, intuitive, transparent: with the brand new ciao app – the innovative check-in-and-out-system – three transport authorities (Wiener Linien, the VOR, and WLB) started a groundbreaking new digital service for public transport in Vienna, Lower Austria, and Burgenland. Even before it was launched on February 10, both testers and transport companies lauded the project.
The ciao app “check in and out” was developed according to the specifications of participating transport authorities and is based on MENTZ’s award-winning white label solution, the Gullivr app. As a comprehensive and modular MaaS app, Gullivr provides transport authorities a maximum of flexibility in app design. It is future-proof, undergoes continual improvment and development, and can be used by several transport authorities at the same time.
“With ciao, the three public transport authorities involved (Wiener Linien, Wiener Lokalbahnen, and the VOR) were able to combine their expertise to set new digital ticketing standards for local and regional public transport,” said Karin Zipperer and Alexander Schierhuber, both Managing Directors at the VOR. The ciao app automatically recognizes a route using GPS, and Bluetooth when underground, and can automatically find the cheapest fare. This feature is especially practical for infrequent riders of public transport.
“Thanks to ciao, taking public transport is easier than ever before. Passengers do not need to know all the complex background processes of Austria’s largest transport authority – with all its special fares,” said MENTZ project team members Amelie Kaiser and Marko Stanojcic.
MENTZ’s check-in-check-out system has reliably proven its worth in both North Rhine-Westphalia and in Munich, the latter as MVVswipe.
The ciao app benefits passengers in the following ways:
- Tickets no longer have to be purchased at ticket machines: simply check in using the app and off you go.
- Intuitive operation: a tap to check in, another tap to check out – ciao does the rest.
- Best price guarantee: single trips are automatically combined to fit the cheapest day pass.
- Full transparency: the app lets you keep an eye on all costs at all times.
- Integration of week/month/year passes: currently available for Vienna (7-day, 31-day, year and semester passes). Also coming soon for VOR and WLB.
Preexisting passes for public transport in Vienna (7-day Vienna, 31-day Vienna, semester passes and year passes) can already be saved in the ciao app and are automatically taken into account when searching for the cheapest fare. By the end of 2025, all VOR transport passes will also be available in the app.
Get to know what Gullivr can do for you: https://en.mentz.net/gullivr/