Pricing Perceptions and Digital Access in Public Transport: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Satisfaction Drivers

Prices and affordability remain the most important factors for user satisfaction with public transport. However, the interplay between perceived price fairness and access to digital ticket channels has been little studied empirically to date. This study examines how different user groups evaluate price structures based on their ticket purchasing behaviour, socio-demographic background, and digital access, and how these dimensions jointly influence overall satisfaction. Based on the Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI), the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and Behavioral Pricing Theory, the study applies a sequential mixed-methods design that combines over 10,000 responses from a user survey with 14 expert interviews. Quantitative results show that digital access, combined with perceived fairness and price transparency, significantly increases satisfaction. However, pure digital discounts tend to marginalize older and digitally underserved users, thereby reinforcing perceptions of inequality. The results underscore price perception as a crucial aspect of service quality and call for inclusive, channel-neutral pricing strategies that adhere to the principles of fairness, accessibility, and digital justice in evolving mobility ecosystems.