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I usually compare how far behind the US is to Japan. How does a system without turnstiles work in Europe? In Japan, the shinkansen can still actually be used with their cards and tapping pass the turnstile, but nearly everyone besides business passengers buys a ticket for the one off far trips. I can't even imagine short trip subways not having a turnstile.

Even in the US, monthly swipe passes have been a thing in even the systems that used tokens.

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But monthly passes, for example in NYC, are expensive relative to single tickets, so adoption is relatively low.

If everyone has a monthly pass, fare evasion is less of an issue even in an open system. Fares are checked on a sampling basis with fines for not having a ticket.

Fines only hurt working people. The homeless just ignore them.

You tap your card in the bus, when you pass by the tapping devices.

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