On my first visit to Moscow in 1991, there was really only one thing that worked. And it worked better than anywhere else in the world: The Moscow Metro.
This underground treasure was not only loaded with artwork, fine architecture, and trains that came every two minutes, but the whole thing cost less than a penny. The Soviets kicked the West’s sorry ass when it came to subways.
And now, nearly twenty years later, they are continuing with the trend.
Passengers can now enter the system by merely scanning their cell phones. No more tokens, tickets, or passes for those who opt in to this convenient idea.
Using cell phones to purchase small items which are then added to your phone bill has become increasingly common in Europe these days; it was only natural that the next step was public transport.
I’m not sure why my home country of America is so far behind the times when it comes to cellular technology, but I sure hope we catch up with the Russians soon!