Pay as you go with contactless – coming 22 September
Queue less with pay as you go with contactless; the fast and flexible way to pay for journeys across the entire c2c network.
Pay as you go with contactless offers a fast and flexible way to travel across the entire c2c route, the London Travelcard zone and the wider pay as you go area. All fares are calculated and charged based on your time of travel, and journeys made into and across the London Travelcard zone can benefit from price capping.
Top tips for trouble-free contactless travel
Use the same card or device to touch in and out
Remember to touch out with the same card or device as you touched in with. If you use a different contactless card or device, we won't be able to calculate the best fare for you.
Keep your cards separate when paying
Make sure you keep your contactless cards and devices (such as Oyster cards or c2c Smartcards) away from each other when touching a card reader so that you only touch in or out with the one you wish to pay with.
If you touch more than one card or device on the card reader at a time, the reader won't know which card or device to charge.
Check you have enough battery
If you are paying with a contactless mobile device, make sure you have enough battery to complete your journey. If you do not touch out because your device has run out of battery, this will show as an incomplete journey and you will be charged the maximum fare.
Pay as you go with contactless pricing
For most people buying daily tickets, the pay as you go with contactless fare will be the same fare price as an adult ticket bought on the day. You will be charged the cheapest adult fare for your journey on the day you travel. However, for some customers pay as you go with contactless may not always be the cheapest way to pay for your journey. These include:
Railcards
If you have a Railcard or are eligible for other discounts (like a Child discount or travelling on a Child’s fare), it may be cheaper to buy a ticket (online or at the ticket office) for your journey. Currently discounts cannot be applied to pay as you go with contactless. e-tickets (coming soon) might be the best alternative ticket type for you, letting you download and save a ticket on your mobile device.
More about e-TicketsSeason tickets
If you make the same journey regularly, buying a Season ticket (weekly, monthly, annual or Flexi Season) may be better value.
More about season ticketsAdvance tickets
Travelling off-peak? You can find a cheaper fare if you buy your ticket online 3+ days in advance of your journey.
More about advance ticketsFAQs
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Can I use my Railcard with pay as you go with contactless?
No, Railcard discounts are not available when you pay for a journey with pay as you go with contactless. If you have a Railcard, it may be cheaper to buy a ticket for your journey.
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Will peak times still apply on pay as you go with contactless journeys?
Yes, you will either be charged a peak or off-peak fare when you pay as you go with contactless. Your fare is determined by when you touch in with your contactless card or device. For pay as you go with contactless journeys:
- Morning peak times apply 06:30 to 09:30, Monday to Friday.
- Evening peak times apply 16:00 to 19:00, Monday to Friday, when you are travelling from or via a London station
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How do I apply for Delay Repay with pay as you go with contactless?
If your journey is delayed and you paid with pay as you go with contactless, you can apply for Delay Repay through the train company you travelled with by providing us with a statement of your journey from Transport for London (TfL). For more than 7 days of journey history, set up a TfL account.
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Do I need to set up a Transport for London (TfL) account to use pay as you go with contactless ?
No, you don’t need a TfL account to use pay as you go with contactless and you can access up to 7 days of journey history from the TfL website. If you sign up for a TfL account and register your card, you’ll be able view your full journey history (more than 7 days), apply for refunds, and more.
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I have a problem with pay as you go with contactless – who do I need to contact?
If your problem is related to the train service, please contact the train company you are travelling with. If your problem is related to payments, unexpected charges, or refunds, please contact Transport for London (TfL) who process all pay as you go with contactless payments on:
- Telephone: 0343 222 1234
- Textphone: 020 7027 8511
- Or via https://contactless.tfl.gov.uk/
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Why have I been charged by Transport for London (TfL)? I didn’t go on the Tube.
Pay as you go with contactless payments are processed by TfL. This means if you use contactless to travel on National Rail in South East England, your bank statement will show a TfL Travel Charge.
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I touched out with a different card than I touched in with – what do I do?
If you touch out with a different card or device than the one you touched in, we can’t work out your correct fare. This will show as 2 incomplete journeys, meaning you’ll be charged the maximum fare for each journey. You can manually complete your journey by creating a Transport for London (TfL) account or logging in to your existing account. If you were charged a maximum fare, you can apply for refund.
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How can I work out the cost of my pay as you go with contactless journey before I travel?
Use the Transport for London (TfL) Single Fare Finder to find the cost of a pay as you go with contactless journey between any two stations on National Rail, London Underground, DLR, London Overground and Elizabeth line services where pay as you go with contactless is currently accepted.