CFR Călători and Alpha Bank Romania, agreement on providing online and on-board train ticket payment services
Following the completion of a public tender, CFR Călători and Alpha Bank Romania have concluded long-term agreements to simplify and make the travel tickets payment process more accessible, by digital means. Alpha Bank Romania provides to the national railway passenger transport operator the e-commerce service for purchasing travel tickets online as well as the Alpha PhonePOS application that allows on-board payment by card.
Purchasing travel tickets online, both for national and international routes, and the on-board payment solution – Alpha PhonePOS – complement the program implemented by CFR Călători for enhancing its digitalization and accessibility of rail passenger transport.
Online payment of travel tickets obtained through the CFR Călători application which is available on the web or downloadable for free from Google Play, Huawei AppGallery for Android and App Store for iOS operating systems, can now be done much easier and safely, with an increase in the approval/securing rate through Click4pay (safely saving the card in the payment application).
Starting from November 15, travel tickets can be purchased online for all trains up to the time of departure from the boarding station.
Alpha PhonePOS, the Tap to Phone solution provided by Alpha Bank Romania to the national railway passenger transport operator, has been successfully tested in a pilot project and was extended to all train staff.
Payment for travel tickets can now be made on-board quickly and securely by bank card or any other contactless smart payment devices. Alpha PhonePOS is the first application launched in Romania, in July 2020, which can turn any Android mobile device into a POS terminal, allowing payments with contactless debit or credit cards or through NFC equipped devices.
„Passengers requirements drive us to offer better and more reliable services, so we are constantly adapting to new digital trends. Our partners, Alpha Bank Romania, support us in improving the degree of digitalization of the services we offer by implementing new and modern solutions aimed at making the train travel experience more pleasant. Simplifying the payment process when purchasing online with a card, as well as expanding the use of mobile devices in the commercial activity of train staff is another step that CFR Călători is taking in the process of digitalization and increasing accessibility to rail passenger transport”, said Traian Preoteasa, General Manager of CFR Călători.
„We are pleased to support the national railway passenger transport operator by offering modern payment solutions. Thus, we contribute to our partner’s strategy of increasing digitalization of the services offered and we strengthen our position in the payment solutions market. The level of digital payments use depends on the infrastructure which consumers have at their disposal, and we are glad that our innovative Tap to Phone solution will be extended to all routes served by CFR Călători”, said Sergiu Oprescu, Executive President of Alpha Bank Romania and General Manager of Alpha Bank’s International Network.
About CFR Călători
The National Company for Railway Passenger Transport „CFR Călători” S.A. is the national railway operator whose main activity is public railway passenger transport. CFR Călători contributes to the free circulation of passengers inside and outside the country, in safe and comfortable conditions, being a sustainable and environmentally friendly means of transport. The policy promoted by the company’s management is of providing quality railway passenger transport services, with a commitment to society of guaranteeing accessibility for all categories of citizens.
About Alpha Bank Romania
Alpha Bank Romania is a member of Alpha Bank Group, one of the largest banking and financial groups in Greece, founded in 1879 by J.F. Costopoulos. The international activities of the Group are extended, in addition to Romania, to the United Kingdom, Luxemburg and Cyprus.
Alpha Bank Romania is a financial institution ranked among the top 10 banks in the country, with universal banking operations. A systemic bank, with a national presence of over 27 years, Alpha Bank Romania offers a wide range of modern services and products for individuals, as well as for SMEs and the corporate segment.
Alpha Bank Romania is one of the financial institutions that innovated the banking sector in Romania, being the first bank to launch on the local market an application that transforms an Android mobile device into a POS terminal. It was also the first bank that issued covered bonds in Romania, after having introduced in 2001 on the market the first housing loan.
