Haarlem, Netherlands (12 May 2026) — Theo Automaten has selected KUARIO as its exclusive partner for cashless payment processing across all vending machines in the Berlin U-Bahn network and at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER). From summer 2026, 350 HybridPay Terminals (HPT25) will be rolled out progressively across the Berlin U-Bahn network. The rollout at BER is scheduled for completion by end of 2027.
With high daily footfall and millions of passengers, the Berlin U-Bahn network and BER are among the most demanding operating environments in Germany. For Theo Automaten, the priority was clear: a reliable, consistent, and centrally managed payment infrastructure.
“The Berlin U-Bahn and BER mean 350 machines at some of the most visited locations in Germany. If anything goes wrong with the payment process there, you notice immediately,” says Ramses Stummer of Theo Automaten.
Less complexity, more control
With KUARIO, Theo Automaten can for the first time target different customer groups directly at the machine with individual pricing and loyalty offers. The HPT25 terminals support all common open-loop payment methods — including Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, mobile wallets, and emerging standards such as WERO — as well as closed-loop payments such as employee cards and QR code payments.
All transactions run centrally through one platform and are consolidated into a single settlement with one payout. This significantly reduces the operational overhead around payment processing, reporting, and system management for Theo Automaten.
“We chose KUARIO because the complete package — hardware, payment platform, and centralised settlement — is currently unique,” adds Stummer. “Above all, we wanted a partner who understands how this business actually works and develops alongside us. With KUARIO, we can roll out modern payment methods and our own loyalty programmes simply and centrally.”
Rollout across 350 locations
The rollout begins in summer 2026 across the Berlin U-Bahn network and its 175 stations, before expanding to BER. Once complete, around 550 million annual transit passengers and 26 million air travellers will have access to a consistent contactless payment experience across all Theo Automaten machines.
For KUARIO, Berlin represents one of the largest contiguous unattended payment projects in Germany to date.
“Berlin is not an easy environment — a metro network, an international airport, 350 locations, and millions of passengers,” says Tom van der Poel, CEO of KUARIO. “This rollout demonstrates that a central platform can operate reliably and at scale even in the most high-traffic public environments.”
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About KUARIO
KUARIO is an all-in-one payment platform for unattended environments where reliability, simplicity, and operational efficiency are critical. A single platform connects machines to all common cashless payment methods, with consolidated settlement and management under one contract.
KUARIO is deployed across public and semi-public environments throughout Europe and is part of XPP, a payment products company headquartered in Haarlem, Netherlands.
About Theo Automaten
Theo Automaten GmbH, based in Berlin, is a specialist provider of smart vending solutions with more than 28 years of experience in the vending industry. The company develops, installs, and manages bespoke vending concepts for businesses and public sector organisations.
Its offering includes snack, cold drink, and hot drink machines, as well as modern telemetry and monitoring solutions for remote management and efficient fleet control.
With more than 45 employees and over one hundred clients, Theo Automaten GmbH is an established operator in the intelligent vending and supply systems sector.
Through smart vending technology, digital payment systems, and comprehensive service, the company supports its clients in delivering reliable and automated product supply.
