How Reykjavík is modernizing public services with a digital wallet pass

How an NFC wallet pass makes access to municipal services more inclusive and scalable

When access to public services depends on physical cards, service often starts too late, only once residents are already on site. That creates avoidable friction: cards need to be issued or replaced in person, staff must handle recurring service requests manually, and access remains tied to plastic-based processes. A digital wallet pass for public services offers a more scalable and resident-friendly alternative. 

The city of Reykjavík rethought this process together with Passcreator. Instead of relying only on physical cards, the city introduced the digital Reykjavíkurkortið as an NFC wallet pass for municipal services. Access no longer begins at the counter, it now begins on the smartphone, without an app, without extra registration steps and without forcing residents to abandon the physical option. 

Earlier digital access improves public service delivery 

Previously, residents had to depend on physical RFID cards that needed to be issued, reloaded or replaced on site. Today, access can begin much earlier. With a wallet-based pass, entry is available closer to the actual moment of use, reducing dependence on service counters and plastic card logistics. 

For Reykjavík, this means less operational effort around physical card handling, a clearer digital access process from the start and a stronger foundation for scaling access to additional municipal services over time. 

A digital wallet pass replaces extra service steps 

The digital Reykjavíkurkortið is the new entry point into the service, not just a new card format. Residents use the digital wallet pass directly from their smartphone and access supported services with a familiar NFC tap. There is no app flow at the gate and no QR-code-based detour. 

The model also makes the service easier to understand. Instead of treating access as a fixed product, Reykjavík structured the card as a modular digital city card for municipal and leisure services. Residents can activate swimming pools, museums, the geothermal beach and the Family Park & Zoo according to their needs, while the city keeps the offer flexible and scalable.

Just as important, the transition was designed to stay inclusive. Existing cardholders can switch to digital free of charge through the end of 2026, while physical cards remain available. That lowers adoption barriers and ensures the service continues to work for different user preferences. 

Digital service design without forcing a hard system break

The digital card launched at the beginning of April 2026 and is currently issued at Reykjavík service locations, including swimming pools, museums, the geothermal beach and the Family Park & Zoo. This gave staff the opportunity to explain the new model directly to residents and support a controlled rollout at the point of issue.

The phased rollout created a practical bridge between the legacy card model and a more flexible digital public service. The wallet pass launch in Reykjavík began in early April 2026, reaching around 5,100 passes by the end of the launch month. By mid-May, the total had already risen to roughly 10,100 wallet passes, around 5,000 more than in the whole of April. This means the number of created passes had nearly doubled by the middle of May, increasing by approximately 99 percent compared with the April total. As May was still in progress, the growth continued beyond this point.
 

Public service access no longer begins when residents arrive at the counter. 

It begins earlier, digitally and through a wallet-based model that is easier to scale across public services.