At Vix, we believe every traveller deserves to move through stations with ease, confidence, and independence - no matter their ticket type, mobility needs, or travel experience. That’s why we love our Vix Smart Gates: a rail gate solution designed from the ground up to make stations across Wales, and soon Liverpool, more welcoming for everyone.
Vix Smart Gates manage ticket validation automatically, and enable fast, frictionless passenger flow, helping stations to operate efficiently. The gates accept a full range of media, including cEMV contactless bank cards, ITSO smartcards, CCST paper tickets, and QR or barcode tickets, giving passengers flexible travel options.
To accommodate all travellers, our system prioritises accessibility, 600mm lanes for standard use and 900mm-wide lanes for those requiring additional space – such as passengers in wheelchairs, or travelling with small children, luggage or bicycles.
From screen layout to sound design, accessibility principles guided every design decision of our Smart Gates. Each gate includes a 7” HD full-colour passenger display that communicates gate status and validation outcomes with clarity and consistency. The design adheres to WCAG 2.1 A and AA standards to ensure that all passengers, including those with visual or cognitive impairments, can easily interpret gate information.
Key design principles:
Every screen from “Ready” to “Accepted” and “Rejected” uses colour, text, and sound to immediately convey validation status. For instance, a green background and positive chime mean “Card accepted,” while red visuals and a clear tone indicate “Card rejected”. A yellow “Please wait” message appears during processing, ensuring passengers know what’s happening at every step.
[A look at several display design concepts for our gates]
Vix Smart Gates also combine assistive visual design with practical engineering. LED rings and traffic lights align with on-screen messages, helping passengers quickly identify available lanes. Audible tones give instant feedback when tickets are validated or rejected.
Our gates also feature intuitive ticket media interfaces:
Everything has been carefully designed to minimize confusion and create a smooth journey from first tap to final step through the gate.
Accessibility through technology isn’t about adding token features - it’s about effectively removing barriers. With Vix Smart Gates, we’re combining thoughtful design, inclusive technology, and direct passenger feedback to ensure that every journey is a welcome one.