INTEGRATED: Contactless ticketing is a key part of the UK’s plans for rail travel in the North and Midlands
Passengers travelling on train services in England will soon be able to make contactless fare payments with their debit or credit card at more than 700 railway stations across the North and Midlands.
The UK government announced the rollout of contactless pay-as-you-go ticketing at commuter stations in the two regions and confirmed that it “will also drive towards rolling out digital ticketing across the whole [UK] network” in its Integrated Rail Plan unveiled this week.
“Over the next three years we will install contactless tap-in and tap-out ticketing across the commuter networks of the Midlands and North – to unlock integration with bus and tram networks, and do away with queues at ticket windows and excess fares offices,” the government says.
“Many of us complain that rail fares and tickets are too confusing. Under contactless, you will automatically be charged the best price.”
The system “will also allow us to work with Local Authorities to unlock fully integrated ticketing with city buses and trams,” the government adds.
The plan to introduce digital ticketing across the entire UK rail network for all types of journey was originally unveiled in May.
More than 700 UK railway stations to get contactless ticketing was written by Tom Phillips and published by NFCW.