Transport authorities in Vietnam and Russia are turning to biometric technology to streamline ticketing and payment systems, signalling a shift towards faster and more seamless passenger journeys
At Hanoi station, Vietnam Railways has begun trialling a passenger authentication system that uses chip-based citizen ID cards linked to the national population database. The programme, launched as part of the country’s 80th National Day celebrations, is intended to phase out manual checks and QR code scanning. During preliminary tests in early August, the average verification time per passenger dropped to between three and five seconds, nearly halving the time required by QR codes. The recognition success rate exceeded 98 per cent, while 92 per cent of travellers rated the experience as convenient. Work is now under way to integrate the system with Vietnam’s VNeID digital ID, paving the way for a fully electronic ticketing model across the national rail network.
In Moscow, facial recognition is increasingly being used for metro payments. Around half a million people have registered for the system, which now handles more than 170,000 journeys a day. City officials say the goal is to connect every turnstile across the metro by the end of 2025. Since its launch in October 2023, commuters have been able to walk through without swiping a card, tapping a phone or producing a ticket.
For both cities, biometrics represent more than just an efficiency upgrade. They are being positioned as part of long-term strategies to modernise public transport, cut queues and improve passenger flow. But questions remain over privacy, data protection and whether such systems can work inclusively for all travellers.
As the technology spreads, the challenge will be to balance convenience and security with trust and transparency.
