London underground goes contactless

From next week, Transport for London (TfL) is to introduce contactless payments on London’s tube, tram, DLR, London Overground and National Rail services that accept Oyster. The new option, which is part of a range of improvements TfL is making for customers, means that passengers will no longer need to spend time topping up Oyster balances because fares are charged directly to payment card accounts. Contactless payments were launched on London's buses in December 2012. A successful pilot of the cont
September 9, 2014 Read time: 2 mins

From next week, 1466 Transport for London (TfL) is to introduce contactless payments on London’s tube, tram, DLR, London Overground and National Rail services that accept Oyster.

The new option, which is part of a range of improvements TfL is making for customers, means that passengers will no longer need to spend time topping up Oyster balances because fares are charged directly to payment card accounts.

Contactless payments were launched on London's buses in December 2012. A successful pilot of the contactless system on the tube and rail network paved the way for launch across transport in London.

Contactless payment cards are debit, credit, charge or pre-paid cards which can be used to make quick, easy and secure payments for everyday purchases of £20 and under. There is no need for a PIN or a signature, just touch the card on the reader. This technology is becoming increasingly common, with half of Londoners already having a contactless card.

Contactless payments work in the same way as Oyster, charging customers an adult-rate pay as you go fare when they touch in and out on readers at the start and end of every journey.

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.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Tech giants could herald loss of MaaS policy control
    March 25, 2020
    With tech giants targeting the transport sector, could local authorities lose control of their means of delivering policy?
    Read More
  • MaaSLab research assesses Londoners’ attitude to MaaS
    March 28, 2018
    As delegates head for our second MaaS Market Conference, Colin Sowman examines a new report looking at the potential impact of Mobility as a Service on London’s travellers and transport providers. In the run-up to ITS International’s MaaS Market (London) conference, a new independent report examining the travelling public’s appetite for Mobility as a Service (MaaS) has been published. Until now, there has been no real evidence base to evaluate the extent to which MaaS could change travel behaviour in
    Read More
  • Apple’s arrival on payment scene is ‘tipping point’ in e-payments, says Verifone boss
    November 4, 2014
    The new Apple Pay system will give a major boost to the contactless payment sector, industry experts believe. The benefits of such an influential name lending its weight to NFC devices are considerable, says June Yee Felix (right), president of Verifone Europe. “Apple Pay is something wonderful for our industry,”she told several hundred delegates attending the Opening Summit of CARTES SECURE CONNEXIONS 2014. “They have engaged the consumer.
    Read More
  • Dubai metro - the world's longest automated rail system
    July 31, 2012
    David Crawford reviews the recent opening of Dubai's Red Line. The US$7.6bn Dubai Metro, the Phase I Red Line of which started partial operation in September 2009, will be the world's longest driverless rail system on its planned completion in 2011. With a total length of some 75km, it will then overtake the 68.7km Vancouver SkyTrain and be able to carry over 1.2 million passengers on a typical day.
    Read More

Highlighted Content