The verdict in three sentences
Public transport ticketing has nothing to do with e-commerce: it is high-frequency micro-payment where a validation must take under one second, even with no network. The ticket sits between 200 and 500 FCFA, the monthly pass between 15,000 and 30,000 FCFA, and a QR code paired with mobile money cuts fraud by about 30%. The real technical challenge is offline validation at the station, not the payment itself.
Single ticket or pass: the grid
A network's economics depend on the mix between occasional tickets and regular subscribers.
| Plan | Price | Target | Operator benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single ticket | 200-500 FCFA | Occasional | Immediate revenue |
| 10-trip booklet | 1,800-4,500 FCFA | Light regular | Loyalty |
| Weekly pass | 4,000-8,000 FCFA | Commuter | Advance cash |
| Monthly pass | 15,000-30,000 FCFA | Daily | Predictable revenue |
| Student/social fare | -30 to -50% | Students | Volume + image |
The monthly pass secures cash flow (money arrives before the service is delivered), while the single ticket maximises revenue on tourist and occasional flows.
Offline validation architecture
At the station or on the bus, data coverage is unstable. The system must validate without depending on a permanent connection.
| Layer | Role | Offline mode |
|---|---|---|
| Traveller app | Generates a signed QR | QR valid even without data |
| Validator / terminal | Reads and checks the signature | Embedded whitelist |
| Sync | Uploads validations | Queue, deferred send |
| Anti-fraud | Detects replayed QR | Local counter + timestamp |
| Back office | Reconciles revenue | Nightly consolidation |
The key principle: the QR is cryptographically signed server-side at purchase, the validator checks the signature locally, and validations sync as soon as the network returns. This cuts fraud by about 30% versus paper tickets while staying usable in zones without coverage.
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Mini case study
A bus network links Pikine to Plateau and carries 18,000 travellers/day. Before going digital, the operator estimates a 12% revenue leak (fake tickets, non-payment). Theoretical revenue at 300 FCFA/trip = 5,400,000 FCFA/day, of which 648,000 FCFA/day lost. With QR ticketing recovering 30% of that leak, the gain is ~194,400 FCFA/day, about 5,800,000 FCFA/month. A system costing 6,000,000 FCFA to build plus 200,000 FCFA/month to run pays for itself in just over a month of recovered revenue.
FAQ
Does the traveller need a smartphone? Not necessarily: you can combine a smartphone app with kiosk-rechargeable NFC cards for travellers without smartphones, common on popular lines.
How to handle network outages at the station? The signed QR is verifiable offline by the validator; validations are queued and synced when the network returns, without blocking traveller flow.
What fraud rate is avoided? The 2026 ballpark is about 30% less ticket fraud, thanks to single-use timestamped QR codes that cannot be duplicated like a paper ticket.
Mobile money or bank card? In Senegal, Wave and Orange Money dominate: prioritise mobile money and cash kiosk top-ups before bank cards.
How much does the validation hardware cost? Budget 40,000 to 120,000 FCFA per validator/terminal depending on the model, excluding software and back office.
Let's talk about your project. We will design your QR ticketing with offline validation tailored to your lines. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
