Transport Scotland has confirmed that individual rail, bus and ferry operators will be able to maintain their individual pricing schemes under the forthcoming 'Scottish Oyster Card'.
Unlike in London there will be no discounts on offer for using the card, which was originally due to have been available in time for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The final technology trials are only now getting under way for Scotland's planned nationwide Oyster-style multimodal smartcard, first announced in October 2012.
Meanwhile, train operator Scotrail has this week started the roll out of its own card-based payment offer, with plans to complete network-wide availability by end-summer 2016. The company has set itself a target of having 60% of journeys paid for in this way by 2019.
Buses are already equipped with the technology for users of concessionary travel, while the Glasgow Subway (underground circle line) benefits from a system that was introduced in time for the 2014 Games.
Last week, another Glasgow travel provider, bus operator McGill, introduced a ten-journey carnet feature on its own GoSmart card, covering journeys on its fast ClydeFlyer routes serving outlying areas west of Glasgow.
Transport Scotland told Transport Network that the infrastructure needed for all faregates and ticket machines across the country to accept smartphone payments is now in place. But it is still awaiting for data security compliance checks before going live at a date which the agency declined to specify.
