CIT, together with UIC, has been providing ticketing solutions for its members for the past number of decades. The central focus of CIT’s Manual for International Rail Tickets (MIRT) is the ticket itself from a legal, functional and technical point of view. Technical requirements include standardisation of paper tickets using the CIT security backgrounds. The security background represents so-called “Security in Paper” based on ticket paper with integration of specific security elements such as special colours, microtexts, stock control numbers, etc., as well as the use of special international ticket layouts.
Three co-existing standards are currently used in this context: the old CIT 1996 and 2006 security backgrounds and the new CIT 2012 security background. The CIT members decided two years ago at the CIV Committee that only the new CIT 2012 security paper would be used for issuing paper tickets from 1 January 2022 onwards. The new security paper is characterised by sophisticated security features offering a greater level of protection against forgery, copies and alterations.
It was also decided that the old CIT security backgrounds should be phased out in a seamless manner, respecting the commercial needs of CIT’s members. Tickets with the CIT 1996/2006 security background issued during the pre-sale period up to 31 December 2021 are to be recognised by all members until the end of their validity period and up to December 2022 at the latest. This interim rule and deadline for using old ticket layouts has been implemented in the MIRT and in UIC’s International Railway Solutions (i.e. IRS 90918-8), thus ensuring consistency between CIT and UIC documents.
The objective of the CIT General Secretary for 2021 is to support those members who have not yet implemented the CIT 2012 security background. Ordering the CIT security background and introducing security paper requires time and planning, with many aspects to be considered, such as a potential tender process for printing companies, application of printing (source) data, production and delivery of printing data, production of sample tickets, evaluation of samples and distribution of new paper stock.
Any members who have not yet begun implementation of the CIT 2012 security background and who would like to continue to use paper tickets after 1 January 2022 are asked to contact the CIT General Secretary (info at cit-rail.org), which will provide support and all of the necessary information and documents, including application forms, for the CIT 2012 security background.
Please don’t hesitate to contact CIT!
