Nearly 50 more stations in the southeast will receive London-style contactless payments from next month as part of the scheme’s rollout to over 230 stations in the region.
The switch-on will see 47 additional stations available for contactless payments on Sunday 22nd September 2024.
The £20 million rollout, called Project Oval, is being funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) and carried out by TfL with the provision of in-station validation equipment carried out by Cubic Transportation Systems, who already provide the same kit to TfL.
The expansion will not include Oyster cards as the Oyster technology is now too old, just the newer bank card-based contactless payments. That mirrors how the Elizabeth line was extended to Reading, with Oyster only working as far as the edge of Zone 6, after which only bank card contactless will work.
Parts of GWR and Chiltern Railways were the first to go live, and now the next 47 stations to go live have been announced.
c2c
- Basildon
- Benfleet
- Chalkwell
- East Tilbury
- Laindon
- Leigh-on-Sea
- Pitsea
- Shoeburyness
- Southend Central
- Southend East
- Stanford-le-Hope
- Thorpe Bay
- Tilbury Town
- West Horndon
- Westcliff
London Northwestern Railway
- Apsley
- Berkhamsted
- Bletchley
- Bricket Wood
- Cheddington
- Garston
- Hemel Hempstead
- How Wood
- King’s Langley
- Leighton Buzzard
- Park Street
- St. Albans Abbey
- Tring
- Watford North
Southeastern / Thameslink
- Bat & Ball
- Dunton Green
- Eynsford
- Otford
- Sevenoaks
- Shoreham
South Western Railway
- Ashford
- Datchet
- Egham
- Kempton Park
- Shepperton
- Staines
- Sunbury
- Sunnymeads
- Upper Halliford
- Virginia Water
- Windsor & Eton Riverside
- Wraysbury
Once the expansion goes live on 22nd September, customers can seamlessly switch between different trains, tube, TfL buses and trams while paying the best adult fare for their journey on the day and time of travel. Those using pay as you go with contactless will also benefit from daily and Monday to Sunday capping when travelling into and within London.
Note that people who have railcard discounts or concession rates will still find their existing tickets are likely to be cheaper than contactless tickets, although there are plans to eventually add those concession rates to contactless tickets.
Jacqueline Starr, Chief Executive of Rail Delivery Group, said: “Customers have told us they want fares that reflect their needs and are simple to use. The way our customers buy tickets has also changed dramatically since the pandemic, and that’s why we’re delighted that pay as you go technology is being expanded to 47 stations. It is a step in the right direction providing convenience, simplicity and flexibility.
“Pay as you go technology empowers customers by ensuring they always get the right ticket at the right price, making it easier than ever to pay and travel seamlessly. We are committed to developing a simpler and better-value fare system that not only meets our customers’ expectations but also supports the long-term growth of rail travel and enhances the overall customer experience.”
The RDG is also supporting plans to deliver pay as you go pilots across different modes of transport in both Greater Manchester and West Midlands, as part of the Devolution Deals.