Pilot project contactless travel by iProov and Eurostar

iProov, the world leader in biometric face authentication, and Eurostar, the high-speed rail service for passengers which connects the UK to the mainland of Europe, have announced that their trial of a contactless fast-track service, SmartCheck, is now live.

SmartCheck enables passengers to complete secure ticket verification and UK exit check on their mobile devices prior to travel. As part of the trial, Business Premier and Carte Blanche ticket holders will be able to scan their identity documentation using their iPhones before arriving at the station, completing a brief biometric face scan to verify that they are the genuine holder of the identity document. The biometric face verification, which uses iProov’s Genuine Presence Assurance technology, is then linked to their e-ticket, with confirmation sent to the passenger.
On arrival at St Pancras International station, passengers proceed through a dedicated SmartCheck lane. A brief face scan at the ticket gate verifies that the customer has completed the ticket check, with no sharing of paper or electronic tickets needed. A second face scan at the UK Exit Check allows Eurostar to verify that the passenger has completed their passport information, again replacing the need for travellers to hand over documentation.

The aim is to eliminate queues and expedite the boarding process to further improve customer satisfaction, especially for frequent travellers.