HITRANS integrates NorthLink ferry services into its MaaS app

Credit: HITRANS

The Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS) has announced that NorthLink Ferries is the latest addition to the suite of travel services that are now available via its Go-Hi Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) app.

Go-Hi users now have the option of travelling to Orkney and Shetland comfortably and cost effectively using NorthLink’s ferry services. Passengers will have the opportunity to book travel on NorthLink’s fleet of ferries which offer a comfortable experience to relax and enjoy the journey to the Northern Isles.

In addition, each ferry also has a retail outlet and entertainment on-board, and for services from Aberdeen it will now be possible for customers to book a cabin for overnight journeys in a breakthrough for a MaaS application. Passengers travelling to Orkney and Shetland can also plan, book and pay for their travel by air, ferry, rail and on Stagecoach buses in Orkney in the one-stop shop offered by Go-Hi.

HITRANS Director, Ranald Robertson, said: “We are delighted to welcome NorthLink as one of our valued partners, and for Go-Hi to be the first MaaS platform in the UK that includes a fully integrated ferry offering. NorthLink provides a lifeline service to Orkney and Shetland, so making it more straightforward to link their services with others via Go-Hi will help to improve access to mobility in this rural area.”

In-Depth Focus: Mobility-as-a-Service

Go-Hi had first been launched in June 2021, having been supported by the Scottish government’s MaaS Investment Fund. The app offers residents, visitors and business travellers in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland improved access to a wide range of public transport and travel services in one place, saving them time and money.

Transport Minister, Jenny Gilruth, said: “Go-Hi aims to tackle mobility challenges for communities throughout rural Scotland, so it’s great to see NorthLink’s ferry services – a vital lifeline for island residents, and link for tourism and local businesses in the Northern Isles – now being made available on the Go-Hi app. MaaS has the potential to transform the way we use transport by making public and shared transport options like bus and train as desirable as using our car, all of which helps to create a healthier, more sustainable Scotland.”

Users can plan, book and pay for their door-to-door, multimodal journeys securely by debit card, credit card or PayPal in a single transaction using their smartphone or desktop device. Go-Hi offers instant access to book buses, trains, ferries, taxis, car clubs, car hire, bike hire, flights, hotels and demand-responsive travel (DRT) using a single app.

More new services are planned for Go-Hi in the coming weeks, with the next planned integrations being Scottish Citylink’s coach network and HITRANS’ new DRT service Moove Flexi, which offers digital booking of on-demand services across the Highlands and Islands.