Economica.net – The payment method that places Bucharest above half of the EU capitals. Can the unique number become an easier-to-use City Card?

Almost 8 million journeys by means of transport STB (https://www.stbsa.ro/sms_new) were paid, in 2023, by SMS to the unique number #7458. In 2024, the monthly average increased, reaching a record of over 800,000 payments in March of this year. Another nearly 3 million transactions via #7458 they concerned the payment of parking in the capital of Romania.

Bucharest is one of only 15 capitals of EU countries (out of 27) in which the payment for trips on public public transport can be made by SMS, without the need to download an application or pay immediately by card. It is an advantage that the people of Bucharest, or those who visit the capital, take advantage of more and more, as shown by the data consulted by ARSC.ro.

Specifically, in 2023 approximately 8 million payments were made through this system, with a monthly average of over 600,000 transactions, and in 2024 the number of payments increased substantially, reaching a peak of over 800,000 in March. The same unique number can be used in Bucharest, this time as in almost all EU capitals, and for paying for parking (https://cmpb.ro/files/19/Modalitati%20plata.pdf). In this regard, in 2023 almost 3 million transactions were carried out, and in March 2024 alone almost 330,000 payments were registered. You can also pay for the train connecting Gara de Nord with Otopeni Airport by SMS to number #7458.

Unlike the other methods of paying for the STB trip or parking, paying by SMS comes with definite advantages, especially in a country where the level of literacy in the field of new technologies is among the lowest in the EU, the population’s skepticism about regarding the security of card payments is high, and the infrastructure in this sector is still precarious. First of all, as we showed above, there is no need to download a specific application (as is the case in many other capitals), which is why those who pay for the trip by SMS do not need high-performance phones or even internet . It should be noted that payment by SMS can also be done with the help of devices equipped with a pre-pay card.

Secondly, given the schedule of STB cashiers (closed at night and on weekends), paying by SMS is a method by which you can avoid fines, even without having a monthly or other term subscription. Last but not least, the payment by SMS comes with a “grace period” for the one who uses it, because the payment for the trip will be made together with the next invoice for the telephone subscription, i.e. at an interval of about one month.

This last advantage is especially obvious when it comes to paying for parking, considering that, in Bucharest, the average hourly cost is 5 lei, which can generate significant expenses for those who, for example, often come to Bucharest, without to live here As in the case of public transport, paying for parking by this method saves you from the problems that can arise with finding a “parking meter” or with installing a dedicated application, which sometimes may not work and which anyway requires debiting a card, so including entering bank data.

The unique number, in short

• There is no need to download a specific application (as is the case in many other capitals), which is why those who pay for the trip by SMS do not need high-performance phones or even the Internet;
• Payment by SMS can also be made with the help of devices equipped with a pre-pay card.
• Payment by SMS is a method by which you can avoid fines, even without having a monthly or other term subscription;
• Payment by SMS comes with a “grace period” for the one who uses it, because the payment for the trip will be made together with the next invoice for the telephone subscription, i.e. at an interval of approximately one month;
• Paying for parking by this method saves you from the problems that can arise with finding a “parking meter” or with installing a dedicated application, which sometimes may not work and which anyway requires debiting a card, thus including entering bank data;
• The approximately 8 million trips with STB paid by SMS in the period January 2023-December 2024, brought about 10% of STB’s revenues.

An ARSC analysis reveals that in well-known European capitals, where travel payment cannot be made via SMS, purchasing tickets is often a difficult or overcharged endeavor. Specialized websites in Spain, for example, write that in Madrid, where the public transport system is massive and convoluted, buying tickets for specific routes is very complicated, when using the application provided by the public operator and comes with additional costs when the ticket is purchased directly from the bus or tram or when intermediaries are used. The same situation can be found in Budapest, for example, where, if the ticket is not purchased from an operator machine, it will be up to 20-25% more expensive, bought directly from the public transport. And the examples can go on.

On the other hand, it is worth noting that in cities recognized for good organization, such as the capitals of the Nordic EU member states or Amsterdam, paying for tickets by SMS is a valid and frequently used option.

Can the unique number work as a real City Card for Bucharest?

Payment by SMS comes with advantages for public authorities as well. On a rough calculation, the approximately 8 million trips with STB paid by SMS between January 2023 and December 2022, brought about 10% of STB’s revenues. This in the conditions where we estimate STB’s revenues from 2023 at around 260 million lei, i.e. 53 million euros, and we consider that each SMS transaction was made at the minimum level, only for 90 minutes of travel, at the price of 62 euro cents. If STB’s revenues remained at the level of 2022, i.e. a little over 240 million lei, i.e. 48 million euros, and the average per SMS transaction would be around one euro (considering that the one-day subscription is 1 .5 euro), it would result that more than 16% of the receipts came from SMS alone. Regarding parking, it is difficult to estimate the contribution of SMS payments, given that the changes to the charging system are relatively recent and the data reported by the City Hall is scarce. However, we know that there were 3 million payments by SMS which, if they were made only for one hour, would mean about 15 million lei.

But could the SMS payment system be extended to other services? Certainly yes, and this is also demonstrated by the fact that SMS payments are already being made for fees and taxes, fines, fines and others, at the national level. In particular for Bucharest, the unique number could work like a City Card, easier to use. A first step could be to use this service to pay for metro trips, given that Metrorex has not implemented this payment method at the moment.

Then, in a model that many of us have experienced in famous cities, in Vienna, London, Rome or Barcelona, ​​which have dedicated cards, they could include subscriptions to museums, zoos or botanical gardens, and even discounts to certain iconic restaurants . Such an integrated product would be useful not only to tourists, but also to Bucharest residents. Imagine being able to pay for your teenage child’s museum admission via SMS. The development of the system could also benefit the private sector, through partnerships with restaurants, bars or hotels.