The use of barcodes and QR codes for tickets

Barcodes and QR codes have become an essential part of digital tickets and season passes. They provide an efficient and quick way to verify admission tickets and season passes/year passes.

Here, we take a closer look at different types of codes that can be used for tickets and year passes/season passes. In this blog post, we focus on: Code39, Code128, and QR codes.

Code39: Simplicity and Security

Code39 is one of the oldest and most widely used barcode types, which is why it is included here. It is characterized by its simplicity and flexibility, as it can contain both numbers, letters, and some special characters. The advantage of Code39 is that it is easy to implement and can be scanned with most barcode scanners.

• Can handle up to 43 characters (numbers, letters, some special characters).
• Often used for inventory management but can also be used for ticketing.
• Scanned with standard scanners and does not require advanced equipment.

The downside of Code39 is that it takes up a lot of space relative to the data it contains, and it is not as fast at scanning as newer alternatives.

Today, Code39 is considered somewhat outdated because better formats have emerged, but it is still widely used due to its long existence and the fact that older barcode scanners can also read it.

Code128: Compact and Efficient

Code128 is a more advanced barcode that is often used in applications where space and scanning speed are important factors. This barcode can contain more data in less space compared to Code39.

• Can handle all 128 ASCII characters as well as a larger amount of information than just 128 characters.
• It is compact and can be scanned quickly, making it ideal for tickets and year passes/season passes.
• Requires a more modern scanner but is widely used due to its flexibility, and scanners that can read Code128 are still affordable.

Code128 is often used in logistics applications and is popular in ticketing because it can contain complex information in a relatively small space.

QR Codes: Flexibility and Error Correction

QR codes are a two-dimensional code that can contain a large amount of information. QR codes have the advantage of being scannable from various angles, making them very useful in ticketing systems where fast scanning is important.

• Can contain up to 4,296 alphanumeric characters or 7,089 numeric characters.
• Has built-in error correction, which means the code can be scanned even if part of it is damaged.
• Can be scanned with both smartphones and professional QR scanners.

QR codes are popular for both digital tickets and year passes/season passes because they can contain large amounts of data and are relatively easy to scan from various angles and under different lighting conditions, depending on the quality of the scanner.

Comparison of Code39, Code128, and QR Codes

Here is an overview of the differences between Code39, Code128, and QR codes, so you can choose the best solution for your tickets and season passes.

As seen in the table, Code128 and QR have several advantages, while Code39 is no longer as relevant unless, for example, it is already in use, or you only have scanners for it.

Barcodes/QR in the Flex4B System

In the Flex4B ticket system, we support all 3 types of barcodes as well as several other types. As a customer, you can choose which types of barcodes you want to use. We recommend either Code128 or QR codes.

Our barcode scanner for smartphones can scan both QR and Code128, and most scanners can also scan both directly on smartphone screens.

If you’d like to discuss which barcodes are best for you, contact Flex4Business ApS