GMV implements its EMV payment system in the Community of Madrid

GMV, a leading developer of intelligent public transportation solutions, has been selected to install its contactless EMV bank payment system for most of the Madrid Regional Transportation Consortium (CRTM) concessions. The service will become fully operational on July 1st, representing a decisive step towards a more digital, accessible, and sustainable mobility model for the Community of Madrid.

This project reflects the confidence that the transportation operators have placed in GMV’s technical expertise, and it builds upon the successful pilot project launched in December 2024 in three locations near Madrid: San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Torrejón de Ardoz, and Pozuelo de Alarcón. Inaugurated by Jorge Rodrigo, the regional Minister of Housing, Transportation and Infrastructure, the pilot demonstrated that EMV payments are an effective way of enhancing the user experience, speeding up bus boarding, and encouraging the use of public transportation by residents and visitors. 

Thanks to the recent contracts awarded, GMV will expand its presence as a technology provider for ticketing systems within the CRTM’s concession network, reaching nearly 70% of the fleet with its TV100 validators and ticketing solutions. This milestone strengthens GMV’s position as a leading technology partner for payment systems in Madrid’s public transport network, with a presence across more than seven different operators.

Proprietary technology, ready for the future

The TV100 validator, which is fully designed, developed, and manufactured by GMV, is one of the key elements of deployment. This is a robust and versatile device that can accept payments using physical bank cards, as well as virtual cards on smartphones and smartwatches. It also complies with the technical specifications from the intelligent transportation systems (ITS) Annex in the draft concession renewal rules published in 2024.

The system offers three characteristics that are essential for the process of digitalizing mobility: speed, security, and universality. GMV’s solution also ensures that passengers will have standardized experience across the entire transportation network, regardless of the operator or line. This equipment accepts contactless bank card payments (physical cards or digital versions on phones/watches), with an emphasis on security, speed, and robustness. It is also designed to be fully integrated with CRTM’s future Account-Based Ticketing (ABT) system, which will ensure a natural evolution towards more advanced and flexible fare models.

With functional coverage achieved from day one, the implementation has already been completed for nine operators with services that cover various metropolitan areas in the region.

Validation that won’t shut down

During the power outage that recently affected a large part of the Iberian Peninsula, operators that were using EMV Transit still recorded 98.6% of their normal weekday validation figures. This operational continuity was made possible by the system’s use of EMV tokens and onboard logic components, which allow for offline operation with no need for a real-time connection to banks. 

These capabilities guarantee service resilience even in cases of network downtime, power failures, and low connectivity environments, which in turn provides essential reliability for public transportation infrastructure.

Transforming public transportation for more than 40 years

GMV has more than four decades of international experience with developing cutting-edge technological solutions for public transportation. Its intelligent transportation systems (ITS) have been installed for bus, metro, light rail, and train networks in 35 countries on 5 continents, where they are now improving management, efficiency, and the user experience for millions of people each day. 

This new project reinforces GMV’s leadership in the field of ticketing and strengthens its position as a strategic partner for public authorities and operators committed to connected, secure, and forward-looking mobility.