Over the last year, transit agencies and transport operators have made real progress in modernising fare collection. Riders (passengers) are seeing easier ways to pay. Teams are getting better tools. And more agencies are proving that you can deliver modern ticketing solutions without a 3-10 year project and expensive rebuild.
Looking into 2026, the biggest shift is not a single technology. It’s simplification. Fewer layers, fewer bolt-ons, clearer accountability, simple journey experiences, and systems that can keep improving every year.
Here are the 10 trends we believe will shape transit ticketing in 2026, plus how Masabi is supporting each one with real capabilities and examples.
For a long time, the industry assumption was that the biggest cities had to buy bespoke solutions. That is changing quickly.
In 2026, we think more large and complex networks will choose an enterprise SaaS solution because it is the most practical way to deliver reliably, reduce long-term cost, and keep innovating. Big cities need systems that can evolve at the speed of the city. SaaS makes that possible because upgrades are continuous, not an expensive change order every time.
How Masabi supports this
Masabi’s Justride platform is built as an enterprise SaaS back office designed (and proven) to scale. It supports large regional networks, complex fare policy, multiple fare media, and modular integrations through robust APIs.
Examples
In 2026, agencies and operators will get more confident saying this out loud: if you are buying a new fare collection system, you should not need a separate middle office.
A middle office is a reasonable step when you are adding Open Payments onto a legacy estate. But if you are modernizing end-to-end, adding an extra system in the middle usually adds complexity and cost for no real benefit. It creates more integrations to build, more vendors to manage, more reporting to reconcile, and more places for fare policy to drift.
The simplest and strongest end state is one back office that supports all fare media in a consistent way. Bank cards, mobile wallets, agency smart cards, barcodes, and mobile tickets should all follow the same rules for caps, concessions, and receipts.
How Masabi supports this
Justride is designed to accept multiple fare media within one account-based system. It also supports Open Payments account linking, so concessions and benefits can be applied to contactless cards when agencies want that.
Examples
Masabi supported Denver RTD with the launch of Open Payments in 2025 by utilizing the Open Payments module as part of Masabi’s Justride platform. This solution did not require a new Level 3 certification, as we were able to make use of an existing certified configuration, saving time and money.
2026 will bring more pragmatic modernization plans. Many agencies and operators want to launch tap to pay quickly, but they are not ready to replace every device, every system, and every process all at once.
This is where overlays can be valuable. When a full replacement is not on the table, an overlay approach can introduce Open Payments faster, reduce disruption, and protect existing investments.
How Masabi supports this
Masabi supports modular architectures through open APIs and flexible integrations. That gives agencies options. They can modernize in phases while keeping a clear path to a simplified future state. Agencies and operators can launch open payments, integrating into existing inspection devices, and expand as required over time.
Open Payments is no longer only a big city story.
More smaller and mid-sized US agencies are moving from “should we do this” to “how fast can we do this.” Riders see tap to pay everywhere else, and they increasingly expect it on transit too. For agencies, it is also a practical way to improve boarding, reduce cash handling, and make travel easier for visitors and occasional riders.
In 2026, the agencies that win loyalty will be the ones that make modern payments feel normal and effortless, even in smaller communities.
How Masabi supports this
In 2026, Masabi launched Open Payments for six medium-sized transit agencies. Masabi has been focused on making Open Payments achievable and repeatable, not a one-time bespoke project. The goal is to help agencies launch confidently with best fare outcomes, strong reporting, and a clear path for inclusion.
Examples
Riders (passengers) increasingly expect the system to do the right thing automatically. They do not want to study fare charts to avoid overpaying.
That is why fare capping and best price outcomes are becoming the baseline expectation in 2026. This is also extending beyond single operator systems. Regions want capping across operators and sometimes across modes, especially as bus and rail networks become more coordinated.
How Masabi supports this
Account-based ticketing supports fare capping naturally because fare calculation happens in the back office. When account linking is available, capping and benefits can work across more payment types, including Open Payments.
Examples
A clear procurement trend will continue to accelerate in 2026. Agencies and operators want to separate the brains from the boxes.
That means buying a modern back office and fare engine as a platform, and competing hardware separately. Validators, gates, fareboxes, and TVMs matter, but agencies want the freedom to change devices without replacing the whole fare system.
This is also one of the healthiest changes in the market because it reduces lock-in and keeps innovation moving.
How Masabi supports this
Masabi’s open platform approach is designed for modular procurement. Agencies can integrate devices and channels through APIs and SDKs, and avoid getting stuck in a single vendor roadmap.
Examples
Even as Open Payments grows, barcode and QR ticketing continue to expand because it is so flexible.
Barcodes work across agency apps, web sales, email, paper, and digital wallets. They are also ideal for partner journeys like events, tourism, and occasional travel where riders want a simple purchase flow and a simple proof of payment. This is particularly useful for upcoming events like the World Cup in 2026 and the Olympics.
How Masabi supports this
Masabi’s barcode ticketing and APIs make it easier to distribute tickets across many channels, including partner platforms. Masabi also has rich experience delivering event tickets for things like baseball games in Boston.
Examples
Third-party distribution is growing, but agency-branded apps still matter. Riders want a trusted place to manage travel, view receipts, handle support, and get service information while planning their journey.
Agencies and operators want to build a relationship and have a communication channel with their riders. In 2026, the best agency apps are not just a ticket store. They are the rider hub.
How Masabi supports this
Masabi supports agency-branded apps that help agencies own the rider relationship while still enabling complementary third-party distribution channels, delivering a multi-app distribution network that can cater to all passenger requirements, whether it's an agency-branded app, third-party app, or a mixture of both.
Examples
In 2025 National Express West Midlands (NXWM) and Masabi won a Highly Commended award in the Best Passenger Experience Initiative category at the prestigious Transport Ticketing Global Awards. This highlights the transformative journey NXWM has taken with Masabi to modernise ticketing, enhance accessibility, and improve the travel experience for millions of bus passengers.
National Express operate their own branded application but also powers tickets through third-party applications such as Citymapper and Uber.
Modern fare collection has to work for every rider group. In 2026, more agencies will treat equity as a core system requirement that needs a digital solution, not an ad hoc or manual process.
Many passengers using public transit need concessions for things like income-based discounts, student programs, and the practical reality is that many riders still rely on cash. The systems that succeed will offer modern digital experiences to these riders while also providing simple ways for unbanked riders to participate. Agencies want to move away from manual and labour-intensive partner and concession processes while making digital services easier for cash riders to access and use.
How Masabi supports this
Masabi supports discount programs across fare media and its Partner Portal, and supports cash digitization models that help riders load value without needing a bank account through retail networks such as Incomm Payments and Payzone. Masabi also supports cash riders to use Open Payment solutions throug the Cash App card.
Finally, 2026 will keep pushing new ways to do pay-as-you-go without heavy infrastructure. Rail corridors in particular are exploring validator lite approaches, where the system relies more on mobile and inspection, and less on fixed hardware everywhere.
These approaches will not fit every network and will be limited to rail outside of countries where ‘honesty-based’ systems are the norm (countries where fare enforcement is low or not required), but they are becoming a real and adopted option.
How Masabi supports this
Masabi supports the foundations that make these models possible, including account-based fare calculation, mobile-first experiences, barcode inspection flows, and back-office flexibility to test new fare models. Masabi works with partners to offer agencies and operators PAYG solutions for check-in and out models.
If 2026 has a theme, it will be simplicity.
We think agencies and operators will choose enterprise SaaS for scale. They will simplify architecture by avoiding unnecessary middle offices when buying new systems. They will modernize in phases when it makes sense, and they demand simple tap and pay experiences across all fare media, supporting all passengers with digitally enabling technology and best price outcomes.