Sampath Bank Advances Public Transport Innovation with Digital Card Acceptance on Key Western Province Routes

Sampath Bank PLC advanced Sri Lanka’s journey towards transport digitalisation with the launch of its pilot digital bus fare payment project in collaboration with the Road Passenger Transport Authority – Western Province. The event took place in Thalangama recently and was attended by Mr. Tharaka Ranwala, Senior Deputy General Manager – Life Lead Operations of Sampath Bank, together with Western Province Governor Hanif Yusoof, marking a significant milestone in public transport digital transformation.

The pilot project introduces digital payment acceptance on the Kadawatha–Battaramulla route, enabling passengers to make secure and convenient fare payments using contactless bank cards issued under Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay and JCB. The initiative forms part of the wider Bus Fare Digitalisation Solution developed jointly by Sampath Bank and the Road Passenger Transport Authority – Western Province to promote commuter convenience through cashless travel, improve transparency and strengthen operational efficiency across provincial services.

Speaking at the launch, Darshin Pathinayake, Assistant General Manager – Advanced Analytics and Card Centre, Sampath Bank PLC, stated, “This initiative signifies a progressive step in strengthening Sri Lanka’s public transport ecosystem through secure, seamless and digitally empowered payment solutions. Our efforts are focused on enhancing commuter convenience while enabling greater transparency and operational intelligence for service providers. It is a privilege to support the Western Province as it advances towards a more connected, efficient and future-ready transport network.”

The project is aligned with the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation on digital fare collection and contributes to the Government’s objective of establishing a bank-led, interoperable and transparent digital payment framework across public transport.

Sampath Bank leads the initiative as the acquiring bank, providing the underlying digital payment infrastructure, transaction processing and settlement services. The solution is implemented through the Bank’s acquiring capabilities, supported by Electronic Ticket Issuing Machines and the ticketing application supplied by Ceylon Business Appliances (Pvt) Ltd, along with backend system and solution provided by Yaman Buddy to ensure real-time connectivity and system continuity.

The pilot phase on the Kadawatha–Battaramulla and other selected routes is expected to deliver tangible benefits for passengers through greater convenience and payment security, while enabling regulators to strengthen monitoring, governance and revenue accuracy. This collaboration solidifies Sampath Bank’s role in advancing public transport digital transformation and sets the foundation for wider expansion across the Western Province and, over time, into the national public transport network islandwide.