EZ-Link rolls out dual-currency transit card
10 September, 2013
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Singapore company EZ-Link unveiled the dual-currency SINO Visitor Pass, a transit card that can be used public across international borders in Singapore and Chinese province Guangdong.
The SINO Visitor Pass is developed jointly with Guangdong Lingnan Pass. It will carry two currencies – the Singapore dollar and renminbi (RMB) – which can be used at all points that accept either EZ-Link cards or Lingnan Pass.
In 2012, the country received 266,000 Guangdong tourists, according to Singapore Ministry for Transport. This is about 15 percent of total Chinese visitors to Singapore. In the same year, 12 Guangdong companies with a combined investment of US$240 million set up presence.
In the second phase of development, EZ-Link and Guangdong Lingnan Pass intend to extend usage of the card to payment for a wider range of items including goods, services and tickets of tourist attractions and performances.
The card is expected to be officially launched in both markets in the first half of 2014, enabling SINO Visitor Pass users to make payments at over 100,000 retail and transit points. There are also plans to widen the card usage to other parts of China.