Introduction‍

Flytoget is Norway’s first and only high-speed train, connecting Oslo Gardermoen Airport with central Oslo and the surrounding areas. This government-owned, yet commercially driven, train service transports more than five million passengers a year. It has a punctuality rate of 96 per cent and a customer satisfaction rate of 97 per cent. With numbers like these, it’s no wonder that Flytoget is considered one of the most reliable and customer-focused train operators in Europe.

In 2024, Flytoget began the rollout of its omnichannel contactless EMV ticketing system, the first of its kind, enabling them to give anonymous passengers the same benefits as registered passengers. This achievement was made possible through a powerhouse collaboration between:

• Flytoget, the operator
• VayaPay, the omnichannel payments solution
• Elavon, the acquirer backed by a subsidiary of U.S. Bank

This case study takes a closer look at how the three partners created a benchmark for how collaboration can deliver frictionless payment innovation in public transport.
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‍How It Started‍

Flytoget’s journey towards innovation began with a simple yet powerful principle: start with the customer, not the technology. Instead of chasing the latest digital trends, the leadership team grounded their approach in understanding real passenger frustrations.

Through analysis and customer feedback, Flytoget identified four key types of friction that shape the passenger journey:

• Physical—barriers at gates and limitations when switching between physical cards and digital wallets
• Cognitive—uncertainty about whether a chosen payment method would work and second-guessing at entry or exit points
• Emotional—the frustration of experiencing when payment or access doesn’t go smoothly
• Time—unnecessary delays at checkpoints or extended waits for customer service to resolve payment and identity issues

“Everything that we want to do when it comes to innovation has to solve or reduce at least one of these frictions.” — Heidi L. Hansen, Distribution and Innovation Manager, Flytoget

By reframing innovation as removing friction from the passenger journey, Flytoget created the foundation for transforming payments in public transport. In June 2025, they completed the rollout of the world’s first omnichannel contactless EMV ticketing system, giving anonymous passengers the same benefits as registered users, including fare capping and discounts.
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‍The Challenge‍

For years, Flytoget faced a fundamental problem: passengers were not recognised consistently across payment channels. A customer might tap in with their card to start a journey, and later use their mobile wallet to complete the trip. Each payment device generated a different token, meaning the system assigned the same individual multiple identities. This resulted in frustration, inconsistent travel histories, and a high volume of customer support requests.

Flytoget’s ambition was to build master profiling—an anonymous traveller profile based on someone's payment footprint that works seamlessly across devices and channels. But after many years of searching, the right partner had not been found.

“If a customer bought a ticket with their card in the app and later travelled using Apple Pay, the system couldn’t recognise them as the same person. We needed to solve this so customers could move freely between channels while registering just once.” — Heidi L. Hansen, Distribution and Innovation Manager, Flytoget‍
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The Solution‍

Vaypay, Flytoget, and Elavon built a solution together. The project required knowledge of collecting the passenger's payment footprint in order to link payments (cards and digital wallets) used across sales channels (vending, website, app, and tap-to-go) with the underlying funding account (FPAN) and personal account reference (PAR), which is not traditionally done in the transport sector. VayaPay, with its omnichannel payment solution, delivered the expertise, enabling consistent recognition of passengers across payment channels.

“We decided on Vayapay’s solution because we expected Vayapay to be lean and agile as a smaller company, with a modern platform free from legacy systems that could constrain our joint development. We found exactly that in Vayapay.” — Leo Bull, CIO/CTO, Flytoget

VayaPay’s omnichannel payment solution also accommodates both registered users and those who prefer anonymous travel. Passengers can still access digital tickets without surrendering personal data. This inclusivity supports trust and encourages adoption by all passenger types, from frequent commuters to one-time visitors.

“Even if you want to be anonymous, you can still be digital. All passengers should have the same free flow payment experience even if they don’t want to be known by name.” — Heidi L. Hansen, Distribution and Innovation Manager, Flytoget

Elavon also initiated quick deployment by facilitating one of the fastest Level 3 EMV certifications on record, completed in just three weeks. The result is a payment ecosystem that bridges the financial and mobility worlds.

“We built a payment platform that goes beyond what today's payment service providers offer to public transport operators in collecting data while staying PCI compliant. Working with Elavon made this possible." — Wido Beekman, Chief Commercial Officer, Vayapay
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‍The Results‍

The Flytoget-VayaPay-Elavon partnership delivered measurable outcomes that transformed both the passenger experience and backend operations. With VayaPay’s Smart Payment Platform fully deployed across Flytoget’s fleet, millions of passengers now benefit from frictionless, omnichannel recognition—whether paying via app, card, or mobile wallet.

“By working closely with our transit agency and acquirer partners, we can ensure our solution not only meets technical requirements but also delivers a truly customer-centric experience.” — Wido Beekman, Chief Commercial Officer, Vayapay

With the new system live, Flytoget has reported several notable improvements relating to passenger experience:

• Customer satisfaction remained exceptionally high at 97 per cent, demonstrating that consistent passenger recognition reduced friction and confusion.
• Modal share for airport access held steady at approximately 70 per cent, one of the highest rates globally, reflecting continued passenger preference and trust.
• Customer support requests related to payment identity issues dropped, reducing operational overhead and increasing team efficiency.

The project has been recognised at industry events, such as Transport Ticketing Global 2025, where it was presented as a global benchmark for mobility payment innovation.

“It’s taken us eight years to find a partner willing to solve this. Now, our passengers can move freely between payment methods and still be recognised as the same user.”  — Heidi L. Hansen, Distribution and Innovation Manager, Flytoget‍
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The Takeaway‍

This case study proves that strategic partnerships can overcome entrenched industry barriers. By combining operator ambition, fintech expertise, and acquiring capability with its new omnichannel contactless EMV ticketing system capabilities, Flytoget demonstrated that

• Frictionless, customer-centric payments are achievable
• (Anonymous) passenger recognition across devices is possible
• Innovation is fueled by strategic collaborations and good communication

“Partnership is about communication and feeling that everybody's equal in the partnership. Working with Vayapay and Flytoget allowed us to push the boundaries of what's possible in transit payments. This project is a testament to the power of collaboration” — Cillian Maher, Head of Partnerships for Emerging Verticals Europe, Elavon

The project succeeded because knowledge was shared, not guarded. The three partners approached the collaboration with transparency, equal footing, and a willingness to learn from one another. For other agencies, this demonstrates that cross-industry partnerships can deliver breakthroughs faster than working in isolation.

“What makes this partnership unique is that we really wish each other to succeed. We can also challenge each other without awkwardness or contractual constraints. When we meet a hurdle, we can say, 'Is this wall made of concrete or paper?' and find ways to go through it or around it. Without this strong partnership we have with both Elavon and Vayapay, we definitely wouldn't have been able to succeed.” — Heidi L. Hansen, Distribution and Innovation Manager, Flytoget‍
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Next Steps‍

Are you ready to reduce payment friction in your transit network? Talk to our team and discover how VayaPay can deliver seamless, omnichannel payment solutions for your passengers. Vayapay is a product of XPP, a payment solutions provider modernising payments for ticketing across public transport, higher education, enterprises, financial institutions, and unattended services. XPP’s solutions enable frictionless payments that customers never have to think about, allowing businesses to focus on growth while we handle the complexity.

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