Virtual Troika Card to Add NFC Fare Payments
Moscow’s virtual Troika transit card is set to receive a major upgrade that will allow Android smartphone users to pay for metro rides through NFC technology.
Moscow’s virtual Troika card is expected to receive a major upgrade in the near future. Users will be able to pay for metro rides using NFC technology. The service will become available to all smartphone owners running Android.
The project is being developed by the Center for Advanced Development, a unit established by the Moscow mayor’s office two years ago. The center includes Russia’s first ticketing systems laboratory, where engineers are currently testing contactless fare payments on Android smartphones.
The virtual Troika card already supports contactless fare payments across Moscow’s public transportation network through QR-code scanning. The service launched in 2024 and is available on both Android and iOS devices.
Once NFC payments are introduced, Android users will be able to pay fares by tapping their smartphones against validators or turnstiles after opening the app and selecting the virtual card. QR-code payments will remain available alongside the new feature.
