Fare Gate

Overview

A fare gate is an automated ticket-checking barrier at the entrance to a metro station or airport rail connection. Passengers tap their ticket or card on the reader, the gate validates the ticket against a central database, and if valid, a rotating arm or swinging flap rotates open to permit passage.

How it works

A passenger approaches the Ticket & Card Reader System and taps or swipes their ticket or card. The Magnetic Stripe Reader (if magnetic stripe), RFID/NFC Reader (if tap), or QR Camera Module (if phone display or printed QR) captures the ticket data and sends it to the Validator CPU Board.

The Validator CPU Board is a hardened, safety-rated PLC that looks up the ticket identifier in a local or remote database. It checks: is the ticket valid? Does the bearer have a valid fare entitlement? All this happens within 100–200 ms.

If the result is valid, the Gate Control Electronics energises the Barrier Motor. The motor drives the Gear Reducer, which rotates the Barrier Arm (Tripod or Flap) open by approximately 90 degrees. Once the passenger has cleared the gate, the Gate Control Electronics reverses the motor.