Italian mobile payment consortium Movincom has launched its first pilot program with partner AIM Mobilitia and Magic Bus, a local transport company in the Vicenza province. Beginning next week, riders on four routes will have a mobile payment option that will let them pay their €2 ($2.61) fares by sending a text message or scanning a QR code displayed at bus stations.

Along with buying tickets, riders can use the system to view bus schedules and receive alerts when a bus is approaching a stop.

According to a press release, the four routes in the pilot program carry 40,000 passengers a day.

Movincom represents 40 operators in Italy. Through the consortium's website, bemoov.it, users can register and link their payment cards with their mobile devices. They can then use their mobile devices to pay for a number of services such as parking, transit and tickets.

Read more about money transfer/P2P payments.