The Touch 'n Go or TnG smart card is used by Malaysian toll expressway and highway operators as the sole electronic payment system (EPS). The credit card-sized smart card is made of plastic with Philips' MIFARE Classic microchip technology embedded in it.
The Touch 'n Go systems are designed to process up to 800 vehicles per hour to ease the queue congestion at toll plazas and if used together with SmartTAG (a non-stop electronic toll collection system), will be able to process up to 1,200 vehicles per hour.
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History
Touch 'n Go was developed by Teras Teknologi Sdn Bhd while the brand and the Real Time Gross Settlement (central clearing house systems) are owned and operated by Rangkaian Segar Sdn Bhd as now known as Touch 'n Go Sdn Bhd. The first Touch 'n Go system was installed and used at Jalan Pahang Toll Plaza on 18 March 1997. It was then immediately extended to Jalan Cheras toll plaza and the East-West Link Expressway toll plaza on 15 April 1997. The Touch 'N Go toll payment system was fully implemented throughout the 848 km North-South Expressway on 15 November 1998. This was made possible when the service was extended to the northern sections of the highway from Jelapang to Jitra. As such the smart card can be used to pay toll from Kempas in Johor to Jitra in Kedah, making it one of the world's longest single stretches of expressway to have electronic toll payment systems. The official launch was done at the Sungai Dua toll plaza and officiated by Rangkaian Segar Sdn Bhd's then chairman, Datuk Dr Ramli Mohamad.
The Touch 'n Go system was implemented in Cityliner Sdn Bhd, a stage bus service in Klang Valley in 2000. Touch 'n Go card users enjoyed discount fares of 10% when it was first introduced. Due to the needs to further consolidate company operations, card users were required to pay full fare prices after 13 November 2003. However, the Touch 'n Go card reader system on board buses was not well maintained by the bus operator. Card readers often malfunctioned and were not updated. Another subsidiary of Park May Berhad, City Profile Sdn Bhd, a feeder bus service (service known as Putraline) for PUTRA LRT was also introduced and the system was successfully implemented until the Rapid KL bus revamp program took place.
The Touch 'n Go facility was also embedded in Buy N Fly loyalty card rewards program for Malaysia Airlines retail arm, Golden Boutiques Sdn Bhd's which was launched in December 1999. The hybrid cards have multi function on rewards airpoint, MEPS Cash & Touch 'n Go. However, on July 16, 2002, Malaysia Airlines announced that "Buy N Fly" Programme had ceased operations and consolidated its loyalty rewards into one entity; Malaysia Airlines Enrich Frequent Flyer Programme. Buy N Fly cards are no longer issued but active hybrid card users are still able to use them to perform transactions.
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Card categories
The cards can be categorize into 4 types:
Generic Card
Generic card/manual card
A standard stored value Touch 'n Go cards fare structure currently available for adult fare for public transportation fare and standard class vehicles with 2 axles and 3 or 4 wheels (Class 1) excluding taxis for toll fare. It is like a top up card.
The card is derived from several designs.
PLUSMiles card
There is also a PLUSMiles Touch n' Go card, which is available on the North-South Expressway. The card provides a 5% rebate to users of expressways operated by PLUS (E1, E2, E3, E6, E15, E29 and E36) driving in private non-commercial vehicles.
TESCO Clubcard
Since 2014, the Malaysian edition of Tesco Clubcard is embedded with Touch 'n Go features.
Postpaid cards
Fleet Xs card
It mainly purposed for toll fare payment. The details of company name, vehicle registration number and vehicle class was printed on the card. Credit term of 30 days given for post payment and fleet operators are able to monitor toll record/vehicle movement at highways via e-statement (itemised statement) after 24 to 48 hours from the time of transaction.
Biz Xs card
It is the same as standard card mainly purposed for corporate users.
Auto-reload card
Zing Card
The Touch 'n Go Zing is a companion card (works as standard card) that is linked to Visa, MasterCard or American Express issued by participating banks in Malaysia. Each time the card balance falls below RM50, it will trigger the auto-reload mechanism to reload RM100 into the card. The amount will be charged to the credit card plus RM2 as auto-reload fee for each time reload. The auto-reload function is only available on road tolls when the threshold trigger occurs; if the card is used to pay other services such as trains and car parks, it will not trigger the auto-reload.
Zing card auto-reload facility is currently offered as a bank card.
Purchase and reload
Generally, a standard card can be purchased at the price of RM10, without any loaded value. Cards may be reloaded in multiples of RM 10 (counters and some self-service machines) or RM 5 (self-service machines only).
Self-service machines
- KL Sentral (at the Kelana Jaya Line concourse and the Nu Sentral mall)
- All SBK MRT stations
- Selected Ampang/Sri Petaling Line, Kelana Jaya Line and KL Monorail stations
- Selected shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor
- Selected rest areas along PLUS and LPT
- Bank Negara Malaysia headquarters
- Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Cash/credit card counters
- Touch 'n Go Hubs:
- Nu Sentral
- The Sphere (Bangsar South, Kuala Lumpur)
- Wisma Nufri, Johor Bahru
- Toll Plaza Offices
- Rapid KL; LRT, MRT, Monorail, BRT major stations and bus hubs.
- KTM Komuter major stations
- Reload Agents
- Petronas Kedai Mesra
- 7 Eleven
- Watsons store
- Tesco
- Giant Hypermarket
Cash drive-through counters
- Toll plazas with "Tambah Nilai" sign
Auto Teller Machines
- Maybank (both Malaysia and Singapore)
- Public Bank
- CIMB Bank (both Malaysia and Singapore)
- RHB Bank
- Bank Muamalat
- AmBank Cash Deposit Machine
Card usage
Touch 'n Go card is not only for toll fare but also parking services, public transport, theme park and cashless payment at retail outlets.
Toll fare
Main article: Malaysian Expressway System
Touch 'n Go can be used in entire highways stretches in Malaysia with the familiar TnG & SmartTAG sign marked on the road. Two systems were introduced on toll fare collection instead of manual ticket. Due to highways with numerous junctions or intersections serving short distance trips, most of Malaysia's highways use open system toll collection.
Toll fare collection on open system
Card users only have to touch at the reader at TnG lanes counter or drive thru TAG lanes at certain toll plazas. Toll fares charged are fixed regardless the distance travelled.
Toll fare collection on closed system
Card users "touch in" before entering the expressway at respective toll plazas and "touch out" at the exit toll plaza. Vehicle with card have to drive thru TnG lanes and TAG lanes for SmartTAG users. Toll fares are charged based on the distance between the entry plaza and the exit plaza. Card users have to make sure the amount balance is more than RM20 before entering the toll plaza. Those less than RM20 are required to top it up either at the offices or at TAMBAH NILAI lanes, otherwise it will not be able to enter the highway. Seven expressways do have these feature, the most famous is the North-South Expressway.
SmartTAG
Main article: SmartTAG
An extension of Touch 'n Go is SmartTAG or TAG on board unit, which allows users to insert the card into a reader device installed in the vehicle for fully automatic/non-stop payment at toll plazas. Payment is made automatically as the toll charge is deducted from the value stored in the Touch 'n Go card.
Public Transportation
Main article: Klang Valley Rail Transit
Main article: Rapid Bus - Kuala Lumpur, Kuantan
Since 2002, Touch 'n Go has been chosen as the common cashless ticketing system for all rail and bus lines in Klang Valley, in parallel with co-branded Rapid KL's My Rapid card (abolished in 2017) and KTM's Komuterlink (not using Touch 'n Go fare collection system). For all Touch 'n Go logo printed card, it is hence accepted on:
- KTM Komuter
- 1 Seremban Line
- 2 Port Klang Line
- Rapid KL
- 3 Ampang Line
- 4 Sri Petaling Line
- 5 Kelana Jaya Line
- 8 KL Monorail
- 9 Sungai Buloh-Kajang Line
- B1 BRT Sunway Line
- Express Rail Link
- 6 KLIA Ekspres
- 7 KLIA Transit
as well as all Rapid KL buses and Sungai Buloh-Kajang Line feeder buses. Touch 'n Go is also accepted in Rapid Kuantan buses in Pahang and Panorama Melaka buses in Malacca.
Criticisms
- Add Value/Reload Charge
- Cheque Refund
- No Usage Discount
Effective 5 Oct 2009, users can claim rebate if their usage exceeds 80 tolled transactions per month. The rebate amounts to 20% of total usage and given in points credited to the card, not cash. It is only can be claimed at the Touch 'n Go counters at the toll offices.
- Effectiveness Argued
- E-Statement
- Limited CTS Fare Structure
- KLIA Express
Unfortunately Touch 'n Go card users can no longer access the airline check-in counters at KL Sentral using their Touch 'n Go card as of June 2015. The Touch 'n Go card can still be used (RM55 each way) to board the KLIA Express itself, but you will need to check-in at KLIA instead.
Trivia
- The dormant Touch n' Go card (no transactions in 1 year), will be deactivated and incur a RM5 fee every 6 months until the card is reactivated or the balance and deposit is used up.
- Lifespan is always 10 years compared to CEPAS cards which has a lifespan of 5 years.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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