Passengers across the Govia Thameslink Railway can expect to benefit from a better experience as eTicket readers are added to every single gate on the network.
The roll-out means there are now 1,1420 readers on 710 ticket gates across 98 stations served by everyone from Gatwick Express and Great Northern, all the way to Southern and Thameslink.
The innovation allows passengers to buy their tickets online and choose eTicket as their delivery option, subsequently sending an email containing the ticket which can be added onto the wallet app and ultimately used on a reader at the ticket gate.
The popularity of smart ticketing this way has skyrocketed in recent years, with figures showing that, across the country, the proportion of passengers using barcode eTickets has more than doubled in the past four years – from 20% to 49%.
Meanwhile, the percentage of those buying paper tickets has more than halved – from 63% to 28%.
The widespread uptake is put down to the convenience, as they can be bought instantly on the OnTrack app or from websites with no booking fee.
They are ideal for advanced singles, peak and off-peak singles, and peak and off-peak day return tickets, according to Govia Thameslink Railway.
Jenny Saunders, customer services director at Govia Thameslink Railway, said: “Getting your ticket with to ride with Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink has just got so much easier.
“Barcode eTickets are quick to buy online and convenient to use. They can now be used at every one of our ticket gates across our vast network. They’ll make everyone’s journey simpler.”
Image credit: Govia Thameslink Railway
