UK: Contactless Payment Coming to 47 More Stations Across the South East
The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced that an additional 47 stations across the South East of the United Kingdom are set to receive contactless ticketing technology.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced that an additional 47 stations across the South East of the United Kingdom are set to receive contactless ticketing technology.
The new ticketing system will be rolled out at a number of stations from 2 February, enabling fully contactless journeys across a selection of key commuter lines.
“The popularity of convenient travel via pay as you go with contactless has seen it grow and become increasingly popular across London and the surrounding areas in the ten years since it launched in London. We are delighted to be extending pay as you go with contactless to a further 47 stations on the 2 February.
“This will further help those travelling by rail outside London do so more flexibly and conveniently, avoid the need to pre-purchase tickets or paper Travelcards when heading into the capital, and support the wider UK economic recovery through easier access to rail travel.”
The DfT has stated it is working closely with representatives for Greater Manchester and the West Midlands to introduce the technology further along the country.
Tap-in tap-out technology was first launched at six Chiltern stations in Summer 2024, seeing more than 268,000 entries and exits using contactless cards or mobile devices within the first six months of operation.
Contactless ticketing is also set to be rolled out for a further 49 stations throughout 2025, with stations planned to receive the upgrade including London Stansted Airport, Baldock, Hitchin, Letchworth Garden City and Stevenage.
“The ticketing system is far too complicated, so we’re taking the stress out of navigating the labyrinth of fares and replacing it with new technology so passengers can simply tap-in tap-out, while being guaranteed the best fare available at the time on the day.
“This hassle-free technology will simplify thousands of journeys every day for passengers across the South East, and it’s something we will roll out to other cities as soon as we can, unlocking growth across the country as part of our Plan for Change. We are delivering the biggest overhaul of our rail network in a generation, putting passengers at the heart of every journey and encouraging more people to choose rail.”
