Contactless pay-as-you-go expands to 30 South-East rail stations

From 14 December 2025, rail passengers across South-East England will be able to tap in and out at 30 additional National Rail stations, following the expansion of pay-as-you-go (PAYG) contactless technology. The move is designed to cut queues at machines and offer a seamless link to Tube, bus and tram services.

A further 20 stations – all on the Greater Anglia network, including Stansted and Southend airports – will now go live in summer 2026, after technical issues delayed the rollout. During testing, PAYG could not deliver accurate integrated fares when used on Greater Anglia services, prompting further development work.

Full list of stations going live on 14 December.

The staged introduction means customers travelling on the day will be able simply to tap a bank card or mobile device, and will automatically receive the best available adult fare. Daily and weekly capping into and within London will also apply.

Jacqueline Starr, Executive Chair and CEO of Rail Delivery Group, said: “Expanding pay as you go technology to 30 stations is an important step towards making train travel easier and more convenient for customers. This move delivers greater simplicity, flexibility and choice for more people across the network. The rail industry remains committed to working closely with government to develop a simpler, better-value fares system that not only meets customer expectations but also enhances the overall travel experience.”

Greater Anglia contactless ticketing delay

The delay to the Greater Anglia cohort followed what operators described as “rigorous testing”, which highlighted discrepancies between train company fares and Transport for London’s integrated fares system.

Martin Beable, Managing Director of Greater Anglia, acknowledged the setback. “We understand how frustrating it is when improvements like this are delayed, and I am very sorry for the disappointment this will cause some of our customers. It is essential, however, that contactless ticketing works reliably from day one. Our teams are working closely with our partners to complete this work as quickly as possible, and we remain committed to introducing contactless ticketing across these additional stations by summer 2026.”

The latest rollout builds on the existing PAYG footprint of 53 stations, where 5.6 million journeys have already been recorded since June 2024. The initiative forms part of a broader modernisation strategy, alongside single-leg pricing, Flexi Season products and simplified fare structures.

Rail operators are also collaborating with local transport authorities to extend PAYG across modes in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands.