Three key takeaways from the CNA User Days

Each year, the CNA User Days provide the opportunity to bring together operators and authorities from around the globe. For two days, attendees enjoyed an open exchange of practical, real-world examples, based on their unique experiences, in the spirit of collaboration and common purpose

This year’s event, against the stunning backdrop of the Arsenale di Venezia, was our most global yet! Participants from Angola, Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, Czechia, Italy, Mexico, Senegal, and many more contributed toward a rich environment for insight, debate and collaborative problem-solving, focused not only on the Calypso Standard, but also the wider challenges and opportunities facing transport ticketing players.

So what did we learn?

• Post-quantum security must be front of mind

As digital-first solutions become more commonplace, it brings a host of new cybersecurity threats. Quantum computing is one such threat poised to reshape cryptographic landscapes, providing bad actors with the tools to completely automate brute force attacks and reverse engineer digital ticketing solutions at scale.

Fraudsters are already capturing encrypted data for both individual user accounts and entire ticketing systems, in anticipation of these algorithm-breaking quantum computers – known as ‘harvest now, decrypt later’. It is therefore essential that quantum resilience is addressed sooner rather than later.

The sophistication of attacks continues to increase, and the discussion in Venice underscored the importance of ticketing systems with security at their core. Attendees showed strong interest in how Calypso technology is evolving to safeguard long-term data integrity and remain resilient in the face of emerging threats.

• Prepare your compliance with new regulatory frameworks

A consistent theme across each session was the growing importance of compliance within emerging regulatory frameworks. Against the backdrop of a rapidly transforming threat landscape, upcoming examples such as the EU’s Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), and Network and Information Systems 2 (NIS2) each demonstrate a clear emphasis on data protection and data security.

As public transport operators, authorities and industry suppliers adapt to these new codified expectations around the protection of passenger data, it reinforces the need for clear and shared Open Standards. They provide an important mark of trust to both the network and the passenger, and give a robust, dependable framework upon which modern mobility offers can be built.

• Meeting local need means knowing your customers

Each network is unique, and so each ticketing system must be designed accordingly. While networks continue to adapt their offer to better serve occasional passengers, they must also ensure they do not disregard local cultures, behavioural trends, means of payment, modes of transport, regional geographies, and incumbent infrastructure.

In short, there is no one-size-fits all ticketing solution for all networks.

This year’s User Days gave us fascinating insight into how networks have adapted to ensure that their ticketing best meets the expectations of their passengers. Our “Region in Focus” session gave us chance to learn about how Calypso is used in Africa, not only for ticketing, but also as a vehicle for financial inclusion via innovative prepaid digital wallets. We also heard how the Calypso Standard has supported the development of enhanced Account Based Ticketing (ABT) solutions that are tailored to meet the needs and wants of the passengers that rely on them, and how Calypso is allowing users to rethink EV parking and charging by facilitating integrated offers.

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Our 2025 User Days once again reflect the dynamic knowledge-sharing community that sits at the heart of CNA. Through active collaboration, we are able to drive highly secure, user-centric, interoperable solutions for ticketing and beyond based on trusted open standards. Thank you to all that attended and contributed.

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