Make mobility more inclusive, simple and instant
Launched in 2016, SMS Ticketing is an alternative solution for issuing and paying for transport tickets, with steady 3% annual growth and a market value of €42.5 million in France in 2024 (sources : AF2M). Already used on buses, trams, and in some parking zones, it has been tested since October 2023 with our partner SNCF Voyageurs on select TER and bus lines in Nouvelle-Aquitaine —and it’s already showing promising results.
A smart, scalable initiative powered by DV Ticketing technical solution, making mobility more inclusive, simple and instant.
With just 3 SMS messages and no need for an app, bank card or internet connection, travelers on select SNCF TER lines in Nouvelle-Aquitaine can now purchase their tickets and pay directly via their mobile bill in just a few seconds.
🎥 Landry Barrand, Marketing and Sales Director at SNCF Voyageurs, and Leslie Huet, Product Manager at Digital Virgo, speak with Sean Kildea, Sales Director at Orange Pay Services, about the implementation, benefits, and feedback from the SMS ticketing pilot in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.
Directed by Jérôme Bouteiller – Ecran Mobile, produced by Orange Pay Services. Credits: Orange Pay Services.
Why SMS Ticketing?
While already available on buses, trams, and car parks, it is now being tested for the first time on regional trains in France.
For SNCF Voyageurs, this initiative is part of a broader goal to offer more flexible and accessible mobility options on select trains and buses.
- 80% of ticket sales are now digital, and new alternate channels as SMS Ticketing help expand reach.
- SMS ticketing offers a universal additional solution, simple et accessible, especially for those less comfortable with apps or digital tools, complementing other sales channels (apps, websites, ticket counters).
- It’s simple: passengers text their departure station, arrival station, and fare type to 93330, receive a unique code, and the amount is charged to their mobile phone bill.
A Solution Built for Inclusion
More than an alternative payment method, SMS ticketing is a powerful inclusion channel to make public transport truly accessible, empowering a wider range of users to travel easily and independently.
Key benefits include:
- No smartphone, app, 4G/5G connection, or credit card required
- Works on any phone, including basic handsets
- Ideal for young users without bank cards and people in low-connectivity areas
📊 75% of surveyed users of the pilot experience by SNCF Voyageurs in Nouvelle-Aquitaine reported the process was very easy
🚉 40% of them use the service more than twice a week
A simple, inclusive experience — available to all.
The Technology Behind It: DV Ticketing
At the core of this service is DV Ticketing — Digital Virgo’s technical solution that connects transport operators and Telcos. Digital Virgo acts then as a facilitator between key players, while providing the full technical solution, designed around four key pillars — accessibility, reliability, simplicity, and speed — ensuring a seamless experience for both passengers and transport providers.
DV Ticketing includes:
- Conversational SMS flow
- Dematerialized ticket generation
- Operator billing integration
- Onboard ticket validation system
- A flexible deployment process: enabling, for example, the successful rollout of a regional train line in just a few weeks.
This initiative draws on Digital Virgo’s international experience in countries like Italy and Poland, and demonstrates how SMS remains a powerful and universal channel for mobility and transport services.
Benefits for the Transport Operator
Beyond the passenger experience, SMS Ticketing also provides strategic benefits for transport operators like SNCF Voyageurs. It supports their mission to modernize services while reaching a broader audience.
Key advantages include:
- Reaching new user segments: 50% of tickets sold on select SNCF TER lines in Nouvelle-Aquitaine are youth fares, and 25% are solidarity fares
- Offering a low-cost alternative in stations without vending machines or ticket counters
- Reinforcing regional innovation and supporting real-time travel autonomy for passengers
What’s Next?
Digital Virgo and SNCF Voyageurs, in close collaboration with telecom operators like Orange, continue to shape a seamless, inclusive, and forward-thinking mobility experience.
Launched in late 2023, this pilot project could pave the way for a broader deployment across Nouvelle-Aquitaine — with future developments aligned even more closely with the needs of SNCF Voyageurs and its passengers, including for instance the potential integration of monthly subscription passes.
What’s on the horizon:
- Potential expansion to other regions
- An upcoming RCS (Rich Communication Services) pilot being developed in collaboration with Orange Innovation, offering a more visual, interactive SMS ticketing experience
- Regulatory developments: the upcoming DSP3 directive may raise operator billing limits and unlock new use cases for mobile ticketing
