Hitachi Rail’s groundbreaking smart digital transport app enters service in Genoa

Credit: Hitachi Rail

Hitachi Rail’s world-first 360Pass app, connecting Genoa’s entire public transport infrastructure, is now available to all 600,000 citizens and the 3,500,000 annual visitors, following a new agreement with the city’s transit authority, AMT.

Having completed a successful year long trial, the 360Pass app, known as GoGoGe in Genoa, will transform multi-modal transport across the city. The service offers every person living or visiting Genoa the possibility to plan, book and pay the cheapest fare for multimodal trips by integrating the city’s public and private transport system.

The service offers users the possibility to plan, book and pay for multimodal trips by integrating the city’s public and private transport system. In total, 663 buses, 2500 bus stops, the metro line used by 15 million p.a., two funiculars, one historic hillside railway, 10 public lifts and two suburban bus routes that span 50km, have been connected. App users also have the power to hire an electric car, pay for parking or find an e-moped.

The 360Pass app ensures passengers have access to the fastest and most convenient multi-modal route options and real time journey updates. It also allows passengers to check how busy bus services are through the app and choose less crowded services as desired. Underlining the value of this technology, a recent study commissioned by Hitachi Rail on global attitudes to public transport found that 73% of people would be more likely to travel on public transport if they could see live information on crowding levels on services.

Credit: Hitachi Rail

The app has eradicated the need to queue to purchase a traditional paper ticket ever again; or download multiple apps for different transport services. The 360Pass connects 5G Bluetooth sensors placed on services and stops around the city to identify when a passenger with the mobile app has boarded, how far they have travelled and when they disembarked. This allows users to pay the best possible fare even when using different transport means.

“This is a major achievement in our ground-breaking work to digitally connect a city’s entire public transport infrastructure,” Alessandro de Grazia, Group Head of Digital Sales and Smart Ticketing for Hitachi Rail, said. “Our completely-free to use, 360Pass app transforming how people travel. For the first time, a person can plan, book and pay for a multi-modal journey involving inter-city trains, trams, buses, metros and e-scooters all through one app. This app facilitates travel from the private car to public transport for both the 600,000 residents of Genoa and the 3,500,000 visitors who flock to the city. Its power and simplicity is helping the city reduce emissions and congestion.”

“It’s an issue of great satisfaction to have made GoGoGe available to all people, it is the first example of an App providing MaaS (smart mobility) in Genoa and is the result of great teamwork between AMT, Municipality of Genoa, Hitachi Rail and MyCicero,” Ilaria Gavuglio, President of AMT, said. “It is an advanced technology that allows the user to move around our territory in the most practical, simple and innovative way possible. Just by using their smartphone, people can move around the city choosing the transport mode that best suits their needs: our transport system, electric cars or train, at the best possible rate.”