The Bank of Ceylon was honored to take part in the launch of Sri Lanka’s latest public transport digitalisation initiative, at the Makumbura Multimodal Transport Centre. This is a significant milestone, introducing bank card payments for bus fares on selected routes for the first time in the country. The pilot project, led jointly by the Ministry of Transport and Highways and the Ministry of Digital Technology, signals a shift toward a more efficient, transparent, and commuter-friendly travel experience for millions of passengers.
The event was graced by Hon. Bimal Rathnayake, Minister of Transport, who announced that passengers will now be able to pay bus fares using any bank-issued credit or debit card on buses equipped with approved ticketing machines.Representing the Bank of Ceylon were Dr. A. K. L. Illesinghe, Non-Executive Director; Mr. Y. A. Jayathilaka, Acting General Manager / Chief Executive Officer; Mr. Suresh Perera, Acting Deputy General Manager (Product and Banking Development); Mr. Saman K. Wickramasinghe, Assistant General Manager (Digital Products Promotions); Mr. Buddhika Premaratne, Assistant General Manager (Marketing); Mr. Asanka Benthara Vithanage, Assistant General Manager (Western Province South); and Mr. I. U. K. D. Wijegunawardena, Assistant General Manager (Electronic Banking Centre). Their participation signalled the Bank’s strong role in enabling secure, reliable digital payment solutions for the transport sector.
The new card-payment system directly addresses long-standing issues within bus transport, particularly the widespread challenge of passengers not receiving change and the heavy reliance on cash transactions. By enabling quick, tap-and-go digital payments, the initiative aims to improve transparency, minimise disputes, and reduce delays during boarding. It also allows authorities to monitor route performance more accurately and introduce data-driven improvements over time.
For the Bank of Ceylon, involvement in this pilot aligns with its long-standing support for digital access and public sector modernisation. With its extensive digital banking infrastructure, the Bank is positioned to support the scaling of secure fare collection systems across transport modes.
