# Tram tickets in two taps

> Redesigning a regional tram operator's ticket app so that buying a ticket at the stop takes two taps instead of seven.

[Work](https://portfolio.vagejs.com/work/)

A regional tram operator's ticket app, rebuilt around the moment the tram is already arriving.

Role

Lead product designer

Year

2025

Length

5 months

## The problem

Most people opened the app at the stop, with the tram in sight. The old flow asked for a zone, a ticket type, a passenger count and a payment method before showing a ticket. Riders gave up and boarded without one.

## What we tried

We watched people buy tickets at three busy stops. Almost everyone bought the same ticket they bought last time, so we made that the first screen: one button with yesterday's ticket on it. Changing zones moved to a second screen for the few who needed it.

We also tested a map-based zone picker. It looked good in reviews and failed at the stop, where nobody had time to read a map. We dropped it.

## What shipped

-   **Repeat purchase on the first screen.** Two taps from opening the app to a valid ticket.
-   **Offline tickets.** A bought ticket stays on the phone, so a weak signal on the platform doesn't matter.
-   **Plain error messages.** "Your card was declined. Try another card or pay at the machine" replaced a code nobody understood.

## What I'd do differently

I'd involve the ticket inspectors earlier. Their questions about how a ticket looks at a glance changed the final design more than any usability session.

More work

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