New e-payment smart cards for buses in Sharjah, UAE, have been launched in a bid to make bus fare payments more convenient for passengers.

The Sharjah Public Transport Corporation announced a constant standard price of AED5 ($1.3) for all routes in the emirate.

The e-payment smart cards offer a 10% discount per trip, meaning passengers would pay just AED4.5 ($1.2) per journey, according to gulfnews.com.

The cards are designed to last up to five years with commuters purchasing the cards for AED45 ($12), AED90 ($24) and AED180 ($49), with an initial one-time charge of AED5 ($1.3).

Passengers have to insert their smart cards into a card reader machine on the bus, which will automatically deduct the due fare.

Sharjah Transport is planning to introduce dedicated e-payment cards for children and people with special needs.