09.09.14
Contactless payments to go live across TfL network next week
Transport for London (TfL) is preparing to go live with contactless payment across all the capital’s transport services next week.
After an extended series of delays contactless fares, also known as Wave&Pay, will be accepted on Tube, DLR, London Overground and certain National Rail services from 16 September. They were first introduced on London busses in 2012.
Shashi Verma, TfL’s director of customer experience, said: “With the launch of contactless now a week away, customers can look forward to having an easier and more convenient way to pay for their travel, freeing them of the need to top up Oyster credit and helping them to get on board without delay.
“I would like to remind all of our customers to only touch one card on the reader to avoid paying with a card they did not intend to pay with. Contactless payments on our buses have already been a resounding success with over one million customers using their contactless payment card to pay their bus fare around 20 million times.”
In RTM’s interview with Verma in February 2013, he told us the contactless go-live date on the Tube, DLR and Overground would be “before the end of 2013”, which itself was a delay based on the original estimates.
However since then a number of changes have been made to the plans. Contactless payments will be extended to certain National Rail services that currently accept Oyster Pay As You Go (PAYG), and the service will also offer Oyster-like daily and weekly fare capping.
Oyster will continue to be available for those using concessionary or season tickets or who would prefer to continue paying for their travel this way.
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