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The Helsinki system is pretty good - they've used a contactless system for years, and are planning to upgrade it soon.
The same card is used for both "value store" and season tickets. You can even use it for both at the same time - for example, a season ticket for one city only to commute with, and value to buy tickets for other cities in the capital area.
The readers have three lights on top, and four buttons on the front. They're arranged so that, with practice, you can hold the card and press a button with one hand. A green light and a beep means you have a valid ticket, a yellow light means your value or season ticket is getting short, and a red light (which I've never seen) means something is wrong and the driver (if it's a bus or a tram) has to examine it.
Buying a ticket is done by pressing the button that corresponds to it. You can buy tickets for one area (the one you're in, obviously), two areas, all areas, or all areas except Helsinki itself. On trams you can buy a ticket which only works on the trams, but is cheaper - and you can't buy the "all except Helsinki" one, because that's where the trams are. The ticket is valid for a period of time, so you just hold it up to readers on your way past if you transfer between lines or modes.
Inspectors are still needed occasionally, but they just wander through the length of the vehicle with a portable reader, with a couple of security goons a discreet distance behind.
You can still buy paper tickets, and there are machines which sell them for the trains, but practically everyone who lives locally has the card, because it's cheaper.
The same card is used for both "value store" and season tickets. You can even use it for both at the same time - for example, a season ticket for one city only to commute with, and value to buy tickets for other cities in the capital area.
The readers have three lights on top, and four buttons on the front. They're arranged so that, with practice, you can hold the card and press a button with one hand. A green light and a beep means you have a valid ticket, a yellow light means your value or season ticket is getting short, and a red light (which I've never seen) means something is wrong and the driver (if it's a bus or a tram) has to examine it.
Buying a ticket is done by pressing the button that corresponds to it. You can buy tickets for one area (the one you're in, obviously), two areas, all areas, or all areas except Helsinki itself. On trams you can buy a ticket which only works on the trams, but is cheaper - and you can't buy the "all except Helsinki" one, because that's where the trams are. The ticket is valid for a period of time, so you just hold it up to readers on your way past if you transfer between lines or modes.
Inspectors are still needed occasionally, but they just wander through the length of the vehicle with a portable reader, with a couple of security goons a discreet distance behind.
You can still buy paper tickets, and there are machines which sell them for the trains, but practically everyone who lives locally has the card, because it's cheaper.
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