Card Types and Fares — 12 Card Types, Flexible Packages, Automatic Discounts
Last updated: 08.08.2026 · Technical content: SoleAkbil Engineering Team
Sole Akbil supports 12 card types: 10 fixed types (Full, Student, Free, Discounted, Retiree, Teacher, Blue Card/Monthly Pass, Limited-Use Ticket, Phone NFC Card, Family Support Card) plus 2 freely definable custom types. Each type's fare is set from the panel and pushed to the whole fleet with one click via "Apply to Devices"; the validator distinguishes the card type with an audible cue.
The 12 Card Types
| Card type | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Full | Standard passenger fare |
| Student | Discounted student fare — the most heavily used social fare during term time |
| Free | Holders of a statutory free-travel entitlement (over-65s, disabled passengers, veterans' families, etc.) |
| Discounted | General discounted fare defined by council decision |
| Retiree | Separate fare for retired passengers |
| Teacher | Dedicated fare for teachers |
| Blue Card / Monthly Pass | Duration- or ride-credit-based pass |
| Limited-Use Ticket | Package-based ride credits (such as "10 rides") |
| Phone NFC Card | Passenger identity for travelling by phone instead of a physical card |
| Family Support Card | Social policy — a support card with an auditable monthly usage limit |
| 2 Custom Card Types | Two additional freely definable types for fares specific to your organisation |
Thanks to this flexibility, social fare decisions taken by a council are implemented from the panel, without writing code.
Ride-Credit Packages — A Flexible Pass Model
For the Blue Card and Limited-Use Ticket types, up to 5 different packages can be defined (quantity × price). The passenger chooses between them at a counter or dealer:
- For example: different quantity/price combinations such as "10 rides" or "5 rides".
- The system tracks credits with an automatic counter; once they run out, the card is automatically rejected at the validator.
- When a package is purchased, the card's validity period is automatically extended.
- Usage is tracked in the Blue Card Usage Report and the Limited Ticket Usage Report.
This goes beyond a fixed monthly pass: passengers pay according to their own frequency of use — a model most traditional systems do not offer.
Special Day Discounts — Birthday and Public Holiday
Two automatic discount mechanisms that make a difference in social policy terms:
| Birthday Discount | Percentage-based, applied automatically. The validator also plays a greeting message and sound — a concrete touch that creates goodwill. |
|---|---|
| Public Holiday Calendar | An unlimited number of dates can be defined; the fare changes automatically on holidays and special days. |
| Transfer discount | Automatic discount on a second boarding within a defined window. |
A privacy-critical detail: while the birthday discount runs, only the day and month are carried on the card — the birth year is never stored anywhere. The social benefit is delivered without collecting personal data.
Discount rules apply automatically to both physical card taps (including offline ones) and phone NFC taps (online). Offline, the transaction is charged at the base fare; at sync the server recalculates the correct discounted amount retroactively and writes it to the ledger.
Pushing Fares to the Whole Fleet
A tariff change does not require visiting vehicle after vehicle. Once the card type and fare are updated in the panel, "Apply to Devices" distributes the change to the entire fleet remotely; devices sync over SIM internet.
In the field, when a passenger taps, the validator distinguishes the card type with an audible cue — the driver hears whether a student card or a full-fare card was presented.
Card Lifecycle
- Top-up: find a person by UID, phone or name; load manually or with quick-amount buttons; cash/credit card payment method; optional "Card Sales Fee" additional revenue; automatic receipt printing; "Undo Last Transaction".
- Card cancellation: a lost or stolen card is deactivated from the panel and can be reactivated if needed.
- Balance refund: partial or full refund, recorded with a mandatory explanatory note and reason.
- Transfer to a new card: on card loss, the balance is moved to a new card without loss.
All of these movements land in the immutable ledger as separate records; the balance is never modified directly.
Card type names and fare structure can be renamed from the panel according to the organisation's decision; the naming here reflects the default catalogue. The scope of free-travel entitlement is determined by applicable legislation and council decisions.
Related pages: municipal social card system · usage reports · management panel · city card system
Frequently Asked Questions
How many card types can be defined?
12 in total: 10 fixed types (Full, Student, Free, Discounted, Retiree, Teacher, Blue Card/Monthly Pass, Limited-Use Ticket, Phone NFC Card, Family Support Card) and 2 freely definable custom types. Each has its own fare.
How do I set up student and retiree discounts?
Enter the amount for the relevant type on the Card Types and Fares screen and click "Apply to Devices"; the change is distributed to the whole fleet remotely. The validator distinguishes the card type with an audible cue.
Can I sell packages such as "10 rides"?
Yes. For the Blue Card and Limited-Use Ticket types, up to 5 different packages (quantity × price) can be defined. The system tracks credits with an automatic counter, the card is rejected once they run out, and the card's validity is automatically extended when a package is purchased.
Does the birthday discount create a privacy problem?
No. Only the day and month are carried on the card for the birthday discount; the birth year is never stored anywhere. The social benefit is delivered without collecting personal data.
Can fares change automatically on public holidays?
Yes. An unlimited number of dates can be added to the Public Holiday Calendar; the fare is applied automatically on those days and usage is tracked in the Special Day Discounts Report.
Do I have to visit every vehicle for a tariff change?
No. Card type and fare changes made in the panel are distributed to the whole fleet remotely via "Apply to Devices"; devices sync over SIM internet.
Let's Design Your Fare Structure Together
Describe your social fare and pass model and we will show how it is set up in the panel.