Eurostar is testing a facial recognition system in London's St. Pancras station to replace ticket control.
Eurostar has launched its ticketless travel trial, allowing customers to complete ticket and passport checks at home, before using biometric facial scanners to verify their identity at St Pancras International Station.
The pilot - dubbed SmartCheck - has now been launched, initially for a limited number of invited Business Premier and Carte Blanche ticket holders who are iPhone users.
Eligible customers departing from London St Pancras can now scan their ID document using their iPhone, and then perform a biometric face scan to verify that they are the actual holder of that document.
The biometric face verification is then linked to their e-ticket using iProov's Genuine Presence Assurance technology.
Eurostar
Eliminate queues and speed up the boarding process to further improve customer satisfaction, particularly for frequent travelers.
Earlier this year, we covered a report from U.S. publication Trains, which suggested that tedious immigration checks due to the Brexit could lead to longer check-in times, so SmartCheck technology will be good news for travelers.
Andrew Bud, founder, and CEO of iProov
The days of digging through your bag to find your passport or hoping your phone battery doesn't run out before you show your e-ticket at the gate are over.
It's effortless and convenient, while providing the security and reassurance travelers expect.
Gareth Williams, Eurostar's chief strategy officer and corporate secretary
We are committed to working closely with governments to introduce new tools and technologies that simplify the check-in and border crossing process.
