Mobile ticketing surges by 265% across Calypso networks in 2025

Rising demand for flexible, secure and cost-efficient ticketing highlights changing passenger behaviour, especially among digitally savvy occasional travellers

Brussels, Belgium. 30 March 2026 – Mobile ticketing using the Calypso Open Standard accelerated rapidly in 2025, with activations increasing by 265 percent year-on-year, reaching nearly 15 million, according to new data released by Calypso Networks Association (CNA), the global community of ticketing players.

Today, the Calypso Open Standard supports tens of millions of passenger journeys every day across more than 170 cities in 30 countries worldwide. The new figures highlight growing adoption of mobile ticketing across Calypso-enabled networks, as transport authorities and operators expand digital options for passengers. 

The growth comes amid changing passenger behaviours, as travel patterns become less predictable. Physical ticketing media continues to underpin large-scale, interoperable operations globally, with the association reporting that nearly 70 million transport smartcards were shipped in 2025, as networks continue to provide an inclusive physical offer alongside mobile.

The association also disclosed:

• Calypso Prime, the multi-application, multi-service smartcard specification, accounted for over 30 million shipments in 2025.
• Calypso Light, designed for occasional users, events, and access control, reached nearly 33 million shipments.
• Calypso Basic, providing highly-secure, cost-efficient contactless paper tickets for infrequent travellers, grew to almost 6 million shipments.
• Calypso Applet activations reached 12.5 million, rising from 2.5m in 2024.
• Mobile ticketing applications using Calypso HCE (host card emulation) increased to nearly 2.5 million.

Gianluca Cuzzolin, Chairman of CNA, said: “The surge in mobile activations and growing interest in Calypso Light and Basic reflect a clear demand for reliable, convenient, secure and cost-effective solutions that serve both regular and occasional passengers. Every day, the Calypso Open Standard enables over 40 million journeys, shaping the future of passenger-first urban mobility while meeting the diverse needs of the global ticketing ecosystem.” 

Recent deployments demonstrate how networks are applying the open standard to modern mobility services. In Lisbon, Transportes Metropolitanos de Lisboa (TML) launched Navegante® Empresas, which acts as a mobile ticket office that allows passengers to load and reload transit passes directly through their devices. The deployment demonstrates Calypso’s flexibility, paving the way for future wallet integration and HCE-based ticketing, while enabling companies to incentivise employee public transport use through corporate tax benefits of up to 150 percent.

Similarly, in Orléans Métropole, France, operator Keolis upgraded the ticketing system using a combination of Calypso Basic and Calypso Prime, delivered and managed through a single protocol. Using Calypso as the foundation, the region’s infrastructure provides a secure, cost-efficient platform compatible with legacy machines, while facilitating mobile ticketing for both daily commuters and occasional travellers.

Yann Chermat, Chief Operational Officer at CNA, commented: “Calypso specifications, developed by and for the ticketing community, enable future-proof, resilient ticketing systems across transport, EV charging, parking and building access control. Taking an open, interoperable approach allows authorities and operators to create and deploy secure, scalable, sovereign solutions that meet local requirements, integrate multiple services and reduce the total cost of ownership.”

To support users of Calypso, CNA provides software development kits (SDKs), including the open-source Eclipse Keyple, as well as independent certification and licensing open frameworks. It also publishes best practices guides to help implementors achieve mastery of their technical systems.

CNA welcomes all those with an active interest in ticketing to contribute to the evolution of the Calypso Open Standard. Learn more about joining the global community: www.calypsonet.org/become-a-member