Banca Comerciala Romana (BCR) said it implemented a smart parking payment system at the terminals of the Henri Coanda International Airport in Otopeni, which is the main airport serving the Romanian capital. The new solution allows travelers to pay for parking contactless by bank card or any smart device that allows payments through NFC technology.

The smart solution makes it easier for travelers to pay for parking at Bucharest's airport. At the entry barriers, the system issues a ticket with a barcode, which the driver can then use to pay the parking fee in two ways: either directly at the exit barriers by bank card or at one of the automatic payment terminals installed in the car parks and the airport (by card or cash).

"At Henri Coandă International Airport, we went from digitization in public transport, by implementing the BCR contactless payment solution for the buses and trains connecting the airport and the station, to the digitization of the parking area. And the option of contactless payment for parking, directly at the exit barrier, is a quick and easy-to-use solution, which means streamlining the traffic, but also an appreciation for the travelers' time," said Dana Dima, vice president of Retail & Private Banking, BCR.

The system implemented by BCR was built based on the operating architecture regulated by Mastercard and VISA so that any card issued anywhere in the world under the two organizations can be used to pay for parking at Henri Coanda Airport.

"Paying for parking with a contactless card at the automatic barrier will very soon become part of every driver's routine, and this is also because Romania's digital future is supported not only by economic transformations and the evolution of technology but especially by the ease with which Romanians adopt and use digital services. In fact, Romania ranks 2nd in Europe in terms of digital payments in the field of public transport," said Ciprian Nicolae, Head of Card Acceptance Department, BCR.

According to him, more than 62.5 million such transactions were registered in the last three-four years, of which 3.6 million in June 2022 alone, in an accelerated trend of increasing use amid the pandemic.

BCR introduced contactless payment solutions for public transport in several Romanian cities, including Bucharest. Also, in partnership with Metrorex, BCR has implemented a similar system in all subway stations in the capital city. Moreover, travelers using Bucharest's airport trains can also use their bank cards to pay for the ride directly on the train.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: BCR)