The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) will soon introduce a novel way of paying bus fares in the city.

As of March, commuters will be able to pay fares using a QR code they'd receive after online payment. The QR codes will then be scanned by devices installed in the city buses.

İBB's payment solutions company BELBİM demonstrated the new system at the EMITT tourism industry exhibition in Istanbul Sunday.

Company General Manager Yücel Karadeniz said the system will go on a trial run this March on the city's exclusive-lane bus transit. It will eliminate the need for carrying İstanbulkart, the plastic card used to pay mass transit fare.