| Re: Contactless - not always the cheapest Posted by grahame at 04:32, 28th December 2025 |     |
from the BBC
Rail users hit by change to peak time ticketing
The expansion of contactless payments on trains has caused the price of travelling on some services to soar as they now require more expensive peak time tickets.
The change allows people to pay by tapping a bank card or contactless-enabled device on readers at stations, avoiding the need to manually purchase a ticket.
But Rebecca Paul, Conservative MP for Reigate, said the new rules - introduced to 30 more stations in the South East on 14 December - risked "pricing passengers out of rail altogether".
Train operator Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) said the changes meant many passengers would save money and insisted the process was not designed to increase revenue.
The expansion of contactless payments on trains has caused the price of travelling on some services to soar as they now require more expensive peak time tickets.
The change allows people to pay by tapping a bank card or contactless-enabled device on readers at stations, avoiding the need to manually purchase a ticket.
But Rebecca Paul, Conservative MP for Reigate, said the new rules - introduced to 30 more stations in the South East on 14 December - risked "pricing passengers out of rail altogether".
Train operator Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) said the changes meant many passengers would save money and insisted the process was not designed to increase revenue.
I can't help wondering if, whilst the process was not designed to increase revenue, the effect of it and the way it is being used has provided an opportunity to do so.
Extreme examples are quoted both ways
The first weekday London-bound Southern service from Reigate, Surrey, that can be boarded with an off-peak day travelcard ticket now departs at 09:28, compared with 08:58 previously.
But when the 08:58 train calls at Redhill just five minutes later, passengers are still able to board it with an off-peak ticket.
A day travelcard that can be used at any time from the stations costs £37.10 whereas an off-peak is £20.60.
There are also new restrictions on travel between 16:00 and 19:00.
But when the 08:58 train calls at Redhill just five minutes later, passengers are still able to board it with an off-peak ticket.
A day travelcard that can be used at any time from the stations costs £37.10 whereas an off-peak is £20.60.
There are also new restrictions on travel between 16:00 and 19:00.
and
"We understand how, for some people, this means fares will rise, but for many others they will fall."
It pointed to a number of savings, such as Reigate passengers making a single journey at weekday off-peak times now paying £7.60 compared with £14.60 previously.
Commuters travelling before 06:30 and returning either before 16:00 or after 19:00 now save £11.60, it added.
It pointed to a number of savings, such as Reigate passengers making a single journey at weekday off-peak times now paying £7.60 compared with £14.60 previously.
Commuters travelling before 06:30 and returning either before 16:00 or after 19:00 now save £11.60, it added.
| Re: Contactless - not always the cheapest Posted by Oxonhutch at 15:05, 20th December 2025 | |
Likewise, but it seems to get more & more difficult to find somewhere/someone to do the manual linking when you get a new Railcard. When you do find somewhere - you are in queue behind 25 non-English speaking tourists trying to buy paper tickets.
I usually head straight to the gate line at a place like Paddington (District Line) and ask someone manning it (it always is) to assist.
| Re: Contactless - not always the cheapest Posted by Clan Line at 12:11, 20th December 2025 | |
Because of my Senior Railcard, I always used Oyster within London - the two are manually linked every year. My bank card can never know about my Railcard and I would always be charged the non-discounted fare.
Likewise, but it seems to get more & more difficult to find somewhere/someone to do the manual linking when you get a new Railcard. When you do find somewhere - you are in queue behind 25 non-English speaking tourists trying to buy paper tickets.
| Re: Contactless - not always the cheapest Posted by Oxonhutch at 10:09, 20th December 2025 | |
Because of my Senior Railcard, I always used Oyster within London - the two are manually linked every year. My bank card can never know about my Railcard and I would always be charged the non-discounted fare.
| Contactless - not always the cheapest Posted by grahame at 04:32, 20th December 2025 | |
https://www.railfuture.org.uk/display4218 - Railfuture press release
Offering the option for contactless payment for rail travel is a good thing – convenient and simple. But it currently comes with a number of stings in the tail, so if a traveller wants to pay the lowest price for their travel, contactless payment often doesn’t deliver the best price
"Never have a simple system if you can have a complicated one"?? ... finding the lowest cost fare for your journey looks like it's going to be a topic that keeps on running ...
