01.10.15
GTR rolls out first phase of network-wide smart ticketing
The first phase of smart ticketing has been rolled out on Thameslink and Great Northern services, meaning the service now encompasses the entire Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) network.
Season tickets that start outside the London Travelcard area can be purchased online or at a station ticket machine to be loaded to the free smartcard, known as ‘the key’.
The same ‘key’ system has been in place on Southern and Gatwick Express for two years, and is now operable throughout the entire network.
David Innis, commercial director for GTR, said: “As well as the season tickets already provided on ‘the key’, we are developing many more ticket types. A carnet product, to meet the growing demand for flexible ticketing by part-time workers, is well underway and next year we will add single and return daily tickets as well as a trial of pay as you go.
“There are great benefits to using the key – once passengers have it, they can buy tickets online and then load them up simply by touching one of our new ticket gate card readers, or they can buy tickets to upload to the smartcard at one of our ticket machines. And if anyone loses a card, it can be instantly cancelled and a replacement issued with the same ticket pre-loaded.”
He added that, from next year, the key will be extended to the remaining Great Northern stations north of Royston, to Cambridge and King’s Lynn, and Peterborough.
The smartcard comes with a new online ticketing system and updated app designed to streamline the ticket buying process. As well as being able to order the card online, passengers can also buy their tickets using the card without queuing at ticket offices to collect.
The new mobile app will enable customers to buy season tickets and allow them to check the status of their tickets on the key, as well as journey history.
And if a registered card is lost, it becomes ‘hot listed’ so it can no longer be used for travel.